Frequency of lumbar intervertebral disc calcification and angiogenesis, and their correlation with clinical, surgical, and magnetic resonance imaging findings.

Study Design: This study measured the frequency of lumbar intervertebral disc nucleus pulposus microscopic calcification and angiogenesis in adult patients undergoing discectomy compared to normal cadavers.

Objective: The results were compared to determine the relationship between disc microscopic calcification with disc degeneration type, histopathological angiogenesis, patients' age, gender, and duration of symptoms.

Summary Of Background Data: True frequency of microscopic calcification in normal or degenerated lumbar discs have not been fully defined nor linked to disc degeneration type and angiogenesis.