An annular tear or fissure is a separation in the annulus fibrosus, the outer ring of the intervertebral disc. On MRI it may appear as a high-intensity zone on T2-weighted images.
Current nomenclature favors the term fissure, since tear implies trauma.
Alternative Names:
Annular Fissure, High-Intensity Zone
Why it Matters?
The terminology itself is contested, and standardized nomenclature prefers fissure specifically because tear implies a traumatic mechanism the finding does not establish. Annular fissures occur as part of normal degeneration and appear in asymptomatic populations. The finding is offered in litigation as objective evidence of acute injury, and the defense response rests on the nomenclature and prevalence literature.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Does an annular tear indicate trauma?
What is a high-intensity zone?
