CT Diagnosis of Facet Syndrome of Lumbar Spine

Objective To evaluate CT diagnostic value in the facet syndrome of lumbar spine.Methods CT fingings in 64 cases with facet syndrom were retrospectively analysed,53 males and 11 females,aged 39～70 years with a mean of 54.5.Results The main abnormalties demonstrated by CT included:(1)Hypertrophy of articular process,osteophyte formation,leading to stenosis in joint,lateral recess,lumbar intervertebral foramen and lumbar spinal canal.(2)Sclerosis of articular aspect,cystic region and defect on boder of the articular aspect.(3)Vacuum phennomenon,asymmetry of the joint and subluxations.Conclusion CT can demonstrate anatomic structure and pathologic change of the articular joints clearly,and provide reliable images for diagnosis of facet sydrome.