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Observational Study
. 2018 Jun;97(24):e11090.
doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000011090.

Facet joint hypertrophy is a misnomer: A retrospective study

Sang Joon An  1 , Mi Sook Seo, Soo Il Choi, Tae-Ha Lim, So Jin Shin, Keum Nae Kang, Young Uk Kim
Affiliations
Observational Study

Facet joint hypertrophy is a misnomer: A retrospective study

Sang Joon An et al. Medicine (Baltimore). 2018 Jun.

Abstract

One of the major causes of lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS) has been considered facet joint hypertrophy (FJH). However, a previous study asserted that "FJH" is a misnomer because common facet joints are no smaller than degenerative facet joints; however, this hypothesis has not been effectively demonstrated. Therefore, in order to verify that FJH is a misnomer in patients with LSCS, we devised new morphological parameters that we called facet joint thickness (FJT) and facet joint cross-sectional area (FJA).We collected FJT and FJA data from 114 patients with LSCS. A total of 86 control subjects underwent lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as part of routine medical examinations, and axial T2-weighted MRI images were obtained from all participants. We measured FJT by drawing a line along the facet area and then measuring the narrowest point at L4-L5. We measured FJA as the whole cross-sectional area of the facet joint at the stenotic L4-L5 level.The average FJT was 1.60 ± 0.36 mm in the control group and 1.11 ± 0.32 mm in the LSCS group. The average FJA was 14.46 ± 5.17 mm in the control group and 9.31 ± 3.47 mm in the LSCS group. Patients with LSCS had significantly lower FJTs (P < .001) and FJAs (P < .001).FJH, a misnomer, should be renamed facet joint area narrowing. Using this terminology would eliminate confusion in descriptions of the facet joint.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Measurement of the facet joint area on MRI at the L4-L5 level.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Measurement of the facet joint thickness on MRI at the L4-L5 level.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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