. 2010 Oct 10;20(4):563–571. doi: 10.1007/s00586-010-1586-4

Table 2.

Grading system and FE implementation of disc degeneration

Score	Random variable	0 points	1 point	2 points	3 points
Nucleus pulposus	Water content	80%	77%	74%	71%
Annulus fibrosus	Water content	70%	64%	58%	52%
Annulus fibrosus	Presence of lesions	No lesions	No lesions	1 lesion^a	2 or 3 lesions^a
Endplate cartilage	Thickness	0.5 mm	0.3 mm	0.3 mm thickness	0.3 mm thickness
Endplate cartilage	Calcification	No calcification	No calcification	50% calcification	100% calcification
Height loss	Height loss	No height loss	25%	50%	75%
Osteophyte^b	Length	No osteophyte	1.5 mm	4.5 mm	7.5 mm
Diffuse sclerosis	Number of sclerotic regions	0	1–2^a	3–4^a	>4^a

The overall degree of degeneration is assigned according to the sum of the six scores [0 points: degree 0 (no degeneration); 1–6 points: degree 1 (mild degeneration); 7–12 points: degree 2 (moderate degeneration); 13–18 points: degree 3 (severe degeneration)]

^aRandomly selected

^bReferred to a single osteophyte. The total osteophyte score is calculated by summing the points of the osteophytes in the four possible locations (total score 0: 0 points; 1: 1–4 points; 2: 5–8 points; 3: 9–12 points)