Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Differentiate Degenerative From Infectious Endplate Abnormalities in the Lumbar Spine

Abstract

DWI is useful for differentiation of degenerative and infectious endplate abnormalities. Moreover, MRI is widely used clinically because of the lack of ionizing radiation, low cost, and fast imaging time as compared with positron emission tomography. Therefore, DWI has the potential to be used as a screening tool.