Computed tomography of the lumbar facet joints

The lumbar facet disease is a frequently overlooked cause of sciatic pain, but the lumbar facet joints are well-recognized source of low back pain and radiating leg pain which can be confused with scaitica due to herniated disc. We measured the angulation of the facet joints on axial spine CT films in 149 cases which contains41 normal group and 108 abnormal group and studied the relationship between the angulation and degeneration of thefacets, the asymmetry of each sided facets and facet degeneration, the asymmetry and disc protrusion, and the asymmetry and annular bulging of the disc. The results were as follows; 1. Facet angulation in abnormal group weremore sagittally oriented than the normal group. 2. The angulation of right facet was more sagittally oriented thanthe left in L4-5 level of abnormal group. 3. Degeneration of facet joints occur symmetrically, and the more facetjoint degenerates, the more it orients sagittally, particularly in L4-5. 4. Asymmetry in facet joint degenerationand unilateral disc protrusion of L5-S1 level is greater than the normal group.