Table 1. Radiographic grading system for lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration.
Height loss | Osteophyte formation | Diffuse sclerosis | Overall degree of degeneration |
Anterior and posterior height loss with respect to the individual height before degeneration | Sum of points of eight edges | Sum of points of both adjacent vertebral bodies | Sum of points of "Height Loss", "Osteophyte Formation" and "Diffuse Sclerosis" |
No osteophytes: 0 points | No sclerosis: 0 points | ||
<3 mm: 1 point | 0.25 partially or completely affected: 1 point | ||
≥3 mm but <6 mm: 2 points | 0.5 partially or completely affected: 2 points | ||
≥6 mm: 3 points | >0.5 partially or completely affected: 3 points | ||
0=0% | 0=0 points | 0=0 points | 0 point = grade 0 (no degeneration) |
1=<33% | 1=1–8 points | 1=1–2 points | 1–3 points = grade 1 (mild degeneration) |
2=≥33 but <66% | 2=9–16 points | 2=3–4 points | 4–6 points = grade 2 (moderate degeneration) |
3=≥66% | 3=17–24 points | 3=5–6 points | 7–9 points = grade 3 (severe degeneration) |