Age-Related Changes of Thoracic and Cervical Intervertebral Discs in Asymptomatic Subjects

Abstract

Degenerative changes in the thoracic spine on MRI was observed in approximately half of the asymptomatic subjects, whereas their incidences were less frequent than those in the cervical spine. Factors significantly associated with degenerative changes in the thoracic spine included age, smoking, and degeneration in the cervical spine.