Our aim was to prospectively evaluate the relationship between low back pain-related disability and quantitative measures from [18F]-sodium fluoride ([18F]-NaF) MR imaging. Six patients with facetogenic low back pain underwent dynamic [18F]-NaF PET/MR imaging. PET metrics were correlated with clinical measures and MR imaging grading of lumbar facet arthropathy. A significant positive correlatio...

BACKGROUND AND IMPORTANCE Symptomatic lumbar disc herniation is common. Migration of a free disc fragment is usually found in rostral, caudal, or lateral directions. Posterior epidural migration is very rare. We report the first case with posterior epidural migration and sequestration into bilateral facet joints of a free disc fragment. CLINICAL PRESENTATION A 78-year-old female presented wit...

BACKGROUND Many studies have assessed the efficacy of radiofrequency ablation to denervate the facet joint as an interventional means of treating axial low-back pain. In these studies, varying procedural techniques were utilized to ablate the nerves that innervate the facet joints. To date, no comparison studies have been performed to suggest superiority of one technique or even compare the pre...

A group of 109 patients with unilateral low back pain for over three months were randomised to receive one of three types of injection treatment: cortisone and local anaesthetic injected into two facet joints (28), the same mixture around two facet joints (39), or physiological saline into two facet joints (42). The effect of the treatment was evaluated in relation to work attendance, pain, dis...

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE Lumbar segmental instability is a key factor determining whether decompression alone or decompression and fusion surgery is required to treat lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). Some recent reports have suggested that facet joint effusion is correlated with spinal segmental instability. The aim of this study is to report the effect of facet effusio...

BACKGROUND Finite element analysis results will show significant differences if the model used is performed under various material properties, geometries, loading modes or other conditions. This study adopted an FE model, taking into account the possible asymmetry inherently existing in the spine with respect to the sagittal plane, with a more geometrically realistic outline to analyze and comp...

We report a case of lumbar facet joint synovial cyst at L5-S1 with clinically significant radicular pain diagnosed by means of MR imaging. This cyst spontaneously resolved, as determined on follow-up MR images obtained 18 months later. The patient's clinical symptoms substantially improved after conservative medical treatment.

OBJECTIVES To compare the effectiveness and safety between autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and Local Anesthetic (LA)/corticosteroid in intra-articular injection for the treatment of lumbar facet joint syndrome. METHODS Forty-six eligible patients with lumbar facet joint syndrome were randomized into group A (intra-articular injection with PRP) and group B (intra-articular injection with...

Facet joint synovial cysts are usually associated with osteoarthritis of the adjacent facet joint and/or spondylolisthesis. In between the conservative and operative ends of the treatment spectrum lie minimally invasive techniques such as cyst rupture using epiduroscopy. In this report, we describe an 82-year-old male patient presenting with low back pain radiating to his lower left extremity a...

Diagnostic blocks are used to identify patients with back pain stemming from their lumbar zygapophysial joints. Single, diagnostic blocks have an unacceptably high false positive rate. As well, comparative local anaesthetic blocks lack validity because the prevalence of the condition is low. Relying on 50% relief following single-diagnostic blocks does not provide a valid diagnosis. Placebo-con...