Pfirrmann grade

Pfirrmann Grading of Lumbar Disc Degeneration

Current: Introduced 2001Pfirrmann et al.
Lumbar spine (discs)MR

The Pfirrmann grade is the standard five-point scale for lumbar disc degeneration on T2-weighted MRI, reading disc signal, the distinction between nucleus and annulus, and disc height to place each disc from grade I (normal, bright, well-defined) to grade V (collapsed, dark, structureless). It gives spine reports a consistent, semi-quantitative vocabulary for degeneration instead of free-text description, which is why it is a routine lookup for MSK and spine reporting. A modified eight-point version exists for finer gradations at the severe end.

Version history & what changed

  1. Original Pfirrmann grade2001Current

    Introduced the five-point T2 scale for lumbar disc degeneration (signal, nucleus/annulus distinction, disc height), from grade I to grade V. A modified eight-point version later added finer gradations at the severe end.

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Written by RadPigeon Editorial Team, Radiology news editorial teamMedical review pending
Last reviewed: 1 Jul 2026Last changed: 1 Jul 2026

RadPigeon is an independent radiology news digest and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pfirrmann et al.. “Pfirrmann grade” is a trademark of its owner and is named here only to refer to the system. Always consult the official source for the exact, current criteria.