Does the correlation between Schmorl’s nodes and vertebral morphology extend into the lumbar spine?

Biomedical Center, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, IcelandKEY WORDS disc herniation; geometric morphometrics; shape analysis; palaeopathol-ogy; spinal healthABSTRACT Schmorl’s nodes are depressions on ver-tebrae due to herniation of the nucleus pulposus of theintervertebral disc into the vertebral body. This studyprovides an extension of our previous study which ana-lyzed the shape of the lower thoracic spine and foundthat vertebral morphology was associated with the pres-ence of Schmorl’s nodes. Ninety adult individuals fromthe late Medieval site of Fishergate House, York, andthe Post-Medieval site of Coach Lane, North Shields,Tyne and Wear, England, were analysed using 2D geo-metric morphometrics to identify possible relationshipsbetween vertebral morphology and Schmorl’s nodes atthe thoraco-lumbar junction and in the lumbar spine. Asignificant correlation was found between vertebralshape and the presence of Schmorl’s nodes in the twelfththoracic vertebrae and the first to third lumbar verte-brae. The findings corroborate previous studies and sug-gest that vertebral shape may be an important factor inspinal health. It is hypothesized that the pedicle shapeof affected vertebrae may not provide adequate struc-tural support for the vertebral bodies, resulting in verti-cal disc herniation. Am J Phys Anthropol 000:000–000,2015.