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30.10.2019 | Scientific Article

Lumbar facet joint subchondral bone density in low back pain and asymptomatic subjects

verfasst von: Chien-Chou Pan, Peter Simon, Alejandro A. Espinoza Orías, Ryota Takatori, Howard S. An, Gunnar B. J. Andersson, Nozomu Inoue

Erschienen in: Skeletal Radiology | Ausgabe 4/2020

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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 and methods

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.
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Metadaten
Titel
Lumbar facet joint subchondral bone density in low back pain and asymptomatic subjects
verfasst von
Chien-Chou Pan
Peter Simon
Alejandro A. Espinoza Orías
Ryota Takatori
Howard S. An
Gunnar B. J. Andersson
Nozomu Inoue
Publikationsdatum
30.10.2019
Verlag
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Erschienen in
Skeletal Radiology / Ausgabe 4/2020
Print ISSN: 0364-2348
Elektronische ISSN: 1432-2161
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00256-019-03314-w

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