- Discussion:
    - MRI is sensitive for detecting infection & is specific in differentiating infection from tumor;
    - infection:
          - T1 weighted images:
                - decreased signal intensity in vertebral bodies & disk w/ inability to discern a margin between disk & adjacent vertebral bodies;
          - T2 images
                - increased signal intensity in verterbral bodies;
                - increased signal intensity of intervertebral disk;
                - absence of intranuclear cleft on T2 weighted image;

- Diff Dx:
     - metastatic tumor:
           - there is absence of involvement of disk space