- degenerative changes in vertebral end plates and bodies described by Modic in 1988
type I
- decreased signal intensity on T1
- increased signal intensity on T2
- inflammatory stage
- shows bone marrow edema
type II
- increases signal intensity on T1
- increased or intermediate signal intensity on T2
- fatty stage
- local fatty replacement of bone marrow
type III
- decreased signal intensity on T1
- decreased signal intensity on T2
- reactive osteosclerosis adjacent to end plates