Pseudosparing of the endplate: A potential pitfall in using MR imaging to diagnose infectious spondylitis

OBJECTIVE. The objective of this study was to describe a potential pitfall in using MR imaging to diagnose infectious spondylitis called "pseudosparin g" of the endplate, in which the diseased endplate appears to be better def ined than a healthy endplate. CONCLUSION. Poor definition of the endplate is a classic radiographic findi ng in infectious spondylitis; on MR imaging, however, increased conspicuity , or "pseudosparing," was common in our study, Pseudosparing occurs when th e normal chemical shift artifact seen in healthy endplates is lost as a res ult of infiltration of the bone marrow by a pathologic process.