Vacuum Phenomenon in the Lumbar Spine: A Useful Tool for Neuroradiologists and Spine Surgeons?

The vacuum phenomenon in the lumbar spine is a common finding on radiographs and CT imaging. Its presence has been known for more than a century and has been increasing in spine literature during the past 20 years. Although once thought of as an incidental finding, further research may yield important findings about the vacuum phenomenon, which may allow radiologists to understand its meaning more clearly when it is encountered.

Learning Objective: The goal of this article is to present the reader with a better understanding of the vacuum phenomenon as it pertains to the lumbar spine and with its history in radiology and surgery literature, its presence in recent literature, and how it may impact spine radiology and surgery moving forward.