Figure 2:

Scoring system used for definition of early diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. A score from 0 to 3 was assigned for each vertebral segment. A score of 0 indicated normal vertebral bodies without formation of new bone; a score of 1, anterior new bone formation—connected or unconnected to the vertebral body above or below (eg, nodular soft-tissue calcifications)—without a solid bony bridge (osteophytes with ≥ 2 mm distance between two bony structures) OR a connection between two adjacent vertebral bodies without abundantly formed bone; a score of 2, near-complete bridging by the anterior new bone formation with less than 2 mm of distance between the bony structures OR a full connection of the bone in a maximum of two sagittal or coronal CT sections (with a section thickness of 1 mm); and a score of 3, complete bridging between the vertebral bodies above and below the disk with abundant new bone formation in more than two sagittal or coronal CT sections (with a section thickness of 1 mm).