Evaluation of the relationship between the facet angle and facet joint degeneration at L3-L5 spinal levels

Authors

  • Seyed Morteza Bagheri, Seyedeh Sabahat Bahman, Pooyan Barmayoon, Mahsa keyhanian

Abstract

Background: Facet tropism and abnormal Facet orientation are two terms that are suggested as a predisposing factor for some pathological spinal disorders, including disc degeneration and herniation. This study evaluated the correlation between facet tropism and degenerative lumbosacral disorders and the relationship between facet joint angle and disk degeneration.

Results: In this cross-sectional, 300 patients who had Low Back Pain (LBP) diagnosed by the clinician and underwent Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in Hasheminezhad hospital between 2017 and 2019 were included. We used 1.5 T MRI to take sagittal and transverse views of the L3-5 segments with a scanning layer thickness of 3mm. Two radiologists assessed the imaging parameters of each patient, and the average of the results was calculated. 52.3% were females, and 47.7% were males. The mean age was 44.3±8.8 years. 131 patients (44%), 143 patients (48%) had disk degeneration in L3-4 and L4-5, respectively. The average facet angle was lower at L3-4 levels compared to L4-5 levels (34.97±12.2 in the right side and 34.89±11 in the left side compared to 43.97±11.46 at the right side and 44.02±10.43 in the left side, respectively). The mean facet joint angle and disk degeneration had a significant correlation at both sides and both L3-4 and L4-5 levels. The difference in angle of the L3-4 levels compared to L4-5 levels in the left and facet joint degeneration is significant.

Conclusion: Degeneration at the L4-5 level was significantly higher than the L3-4 level. The mean facet joint angle and disk degeneration significantly correlated at both sides and L3-4 and L4-5 levels. In addition, the difference of angle at the L3-4 levels compared to the L4-5 levels in the left side and the degeneration of the facet joint is significant.

Published

2021-12-30

How to Cite

Seyed Morteza Bagheri, Seyedeh Sabahat Bahman, Pooyan Barmayoon, Mahsa keyhanian. (2021). Evaluation of the relationship between the facet angle and facet joint degeneration at L3-L5 spinal levels. Drugs and Cell Therapies in Hematology, 10(1), 4170–4175. Retrieved from http://dcth.org/index.php/journal/article/view/881

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Section

Articles