What is Scheuermanns disease?
Scheuermann’s disease is an osteochondrosis of the thoracic spine, which occurs in adolescents typically 13 to 17 years old, and is a cause of back pain. Osteochondroses affect children and adolescents and involve focal bone necrosis at the epiphysis related to rapid growth and overuse. Scheuermann’s disease is characterized by vertebral endplate irregularity, multiple Schmorl’s nodes, anterior vertebral wedging, intervertebral disc height loss, and resultant kyphosis. Imaging criteria for diagnosis require three contiguous abnormal vertebrae with at least 5 degrees of anterior wedge deformity.
