Lumbar facet joint subchondral bone density in low back pain and asymptomatic subjects.
Skeletal Radiol
; 49(4): 571-576, 2020 Apr.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31673719
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To report in vivo measurements of lumbar facet joint subchondral bone mineral density used in the description of facet joint loading patterns and to interrogate if low back pain is associated with changes in subchondral bone mineral density. MATERIALS ANDMETHODS:
In vivo measurements of lumbar facet joint subchondral bone mineral density (L1/2 to L5/S1) in Hounsfield units were performed on 89 volunteers (56 controls and 33 with low back pain) by computed tomography osteoabsorptiometry at subchondral regions between 1.5 mm and 2.5 mm below the joint surface. The facet surface was divided into five topographic zones cranial, lateral, caudal, medial, and central.RESULTS:
We analyzed 1780 facet joint surfaces. Facets were denser (p < 0.0001) both in superior facets and in low back pain subjects (p < 0.0001). For the entire cohort, the facet center zone subchondral bone mineral density was higher (p < 0.0001) than that of the peripheral zones. The analyses indicate that subchondral bone mineral density is highest in patients with low back pain, the superior facets, and the center zone of the facets.CONCLUSIONS:
Subchondral bone mineral density is thought to reflect cumulative, long-term distribution of stress acting on a joint. This work shows that higher subchondral bone mineral density values in the center zone indicate predominant stress transmission through the center of the facet joints. Finally, the greater subchondral bone mineral density in patients with low back pain may reflect both increased load bearing by the facets secondary to disc degeneration and misdistribution of loading within the joint.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Tomografía Computarizada por Rayos X
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Densidad Ósea
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Dolor de la Región Lumbar
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Articulación Cigapofisaria
Tipo de estudio:
Etiology_studies
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Incidence_studies
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Observational_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Límite:
Adult
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Skeletal Radiol
Año:
2020
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos