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Evaluation of facet joints and segmental motion in patients with different grades of L5/S1 intervertebral disc degeneration: a kinematic MRI study

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Abstract

Purpose

This study aimed to evaluate facet joint parameters and osteoarthritis grades, and segmental angular and translational motions among different grades of L5/S1 intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration.

Methods

This retrospective study analysed kinematic magnetic resonance imaging (kMRI) images of the lumbar spine of 214 patients with low back pain. Degenerations of the L5/S1 IVDs and facet joints osteoarthritis were assessed using the Pfirrmann and Pathria grading scales, respectively. Facet joint parameters included facet joint angle and facet joint space width. Angular and translation segmental motions were measured using MRI Analyzer software.

Results

The mean age of the studied patients was 44.1 ± 13.9 years. Patients with L5/S1 disc degeneration were associated with higher odds of facet joint osteoarthritis (odds ratio = 2.28, 95% confidence interval = 1.23–4.23, P = 0.008). There was a positive correlation between L5/S1 disc degeneration grade and the facet joint grade (r = 0.365, P > 0.001). Grade IV facet joint osteoarthritis did not appear in grades I or II disc degeneration (P > 0.001). The average facet joint width decreased significantly with increasing Pfirrmann grading (P = 0.017). The difference in facet joint angle between groups was not statistically significant (P = 0.532). The differences in the angular and translational motions were not statistically significant (P = 0.530, and 0.510, respectively).

Conclusion

A positive correlation exists between L5/S1 disc degeneration and facet joint osteoarthritis grades. The facet joint space width decreases significantly with increasing grade of disc degeneration.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department Orthopaedic Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1540 Alcazar Street, CHP 207, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA

    Mohamed Kamal Mesregah, Haiyin Lee, Sidney Roberts, Carson Gardner, Ishan Shah, Zorica Buser & Jeffrey C. Wang

  2. Department Orthopaedic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Menoufia University, Menoufia, Egypt

    Mohamed Kamal Mesregah

  3. Department of Orthopaedics, Xinqiao Hospital, The Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China

    Haiyin Lee & Changqing Li

  4. Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA

    Ian A. Buchanan

Authors
  1. Mohamed Kamal Mesregah
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  2. Haiyin Lee
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  3. Sidney Roberts
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  4. Carson Gardner
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  5. Ishan Shah
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Correspondence to Zorica Buser.

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None of the authors has any potential conflict of interest.

Disclosures outside of submitted work

JCW- Royalties – Biomet, Seaspine, Amedica, DePuy Synthes; Investments/Options – Bone Biologics, Pearldiver, Electrocore, Surgitech; Board of Directors - North American Spine Society, AO Foundation (20,000 honorariums for board position, plus travel for board meetings), Cervical Spine Research Society; Editorial Boards - Spine, The Spine Journal, Clinical Spine Surgery, Global Spine Journal; Fellowship Funding (paid directly to institution): AO Foundation; ZB- consultancy: Cerapedics, The Scripps Research Institute, Xenco Medical (past), AO Spine (past); Research Support: SeaSpine (past, paid to the institution), Next Science (paid directly to institution), Motion Metrix (paid directly to institution); North American Spine Society: committee member; Lumbar Spine Society: Co-chair Research committee, AOSpine Knowledge Forum Degenerative: Associate member; AOSNA Research committee- committee member.

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Mesregah, M.K., Lee, H., Roberts, S. et al. Evaluation of facet joints and segmental motion in patients with different grades of L5/S1 intervertebral disc degeneration: a kinematic MRI study. Eur Spine J 29, 2609–2618 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-020-06482-9

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