Intraosseous and intradiscal gas in association with spinal infection: report of three cases.

The detection of a vacuum phenomenon within the intervertebral disk usually confirms the diagnosis of degenerative disease rather than an infective process. A similar phenomenon in the vertebral body generally indicates ischemic necrosis. However, spinal infection may rarely be accompanied by intradiscal or intraosseous gas so that the latter finding does not entirely exclude the possibility of infection. Three cases are reported to illustrate gas formation in association with vertebral infection.