Cervical degenerative disease is extremely common. Cervical spondylosis can be graded using a very old but reliable classification devised by Jonas Kellgren et al 1,2. It is based on findings on a lateral cervical spine radiograph although it can also be applied to MRI evaluation of spine.
The key parameters are osteophyte formation, intervertebral disc height narrowing and vertebral end-plate sclerosis.
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grade 0 (normal)
no degenerative changes
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grade 1 (minimal/early)
minimal anterior osteophyte formation
no reduction of intervertebral disc height
no vertebral endplate sclerosis
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grade 2 (mild)
definite anterior osteophyte formation
subtle or no reduction in intervertebral disc height (<25%)
just recognisable sclerosis of the endplates
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grade 3 (moderate)
definite anterior osteophyte formation
moderate narrowing of the disc space (25-75%)
definite sclerosis of the endplates and osteophyte sclerosis
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grade 4 (gross)
large and multiple large osteophyte formation is seen
severe narrowing of the disc space (>75%)
sclerosis of the endplates with irregularities