Imaging of facet joint diseases.

Robert M Kwee, Thomas C Kwee

Journal: Clinical imaging 2021;80():167-179

PMID: 34333352

Full Text on Elsevier Science View on PubMed

Abstract

Facet joints are the important articular pillars of the spine. Several pathologies can occur in and around the facet joint, including extra ossicles, traumatic dislocation, osteoarthritis, synovial cyst, axial spondyloarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease, septic arthritis, and malignant and benign neoplasms. Imaging is the mainstay to detect and characterize these diseases. In this review, we discuss the anatomy and function of facet joints, imaging techniques, and the imaging findings of several facet joint diseases. This information may be helpful to radiologists to make the correct diagnosis and optimize the management of patients with facet joint diseases.

Address: Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Zuyderland Medical Center, Heerlen/Sittard/Geleen, the Netherlands. Electronic address: [email protected].; Medical Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.

DOI: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2021.07.005

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MeSH Terms: Arthritis, Rheumatoid, Humans, Lumbar Vertebrae, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Synovial Cyst, Zygapophyseal Joint