OBJECTIVE: We describe four cases of subchondral osteonecrosis of the vertebral body that occurred after percutaneous laser diskectomy. Follow-up MR imaging after laser intervention showed abnormal findings in the vertebral body immediately adjacent to the site of diskectomy that are consistent with subchondral osteonecrosis. CONCLUSION: MR imaging features of this complication include a wedge-shaped low signal intensity on T1-weighted images, high and low signal intensities on T2-weighted images, and a contrast-enhanced area corresponding to high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Possible causative mechanisms include thermal injury and photoacoustic shock.
OBJECTIVE: We describe four cases of subchondral osteonecrosis of the vertebral body that occurred after percutaneous laser diskectomy. Follow-up MR imaging after laser intervention showed abnormal findings in the vertebral body immediately adjacent to the site of diskectomy that are consistent with subchondral osteonecrosis. CONCLUSION: MR imaging features of this complication include a wedge-shaped low signal intensity on T1-weighted images, high and low signal intensities on T2-weighted images, and a contrast-enhanced area corresponding to high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. Possible causative mechanisms include thermal injury and photoacoustic shock.