The facet joints are parts of spinal motion segments and the range of motion in motion segment greatly depend on differences in orientation and shape of fact joints.
The correlation between the asymmetry of facet joints and disc herination was studie...
The facet joints are parts of spinal motion segments and the range of motion in motion segment greatly depend on differences in orientation and shape of fact joints.
The correlation between the asymmetry of facet joints and disc herination was studied with CT at the vertebral levels 4-L 5 and L 5 -S 1 in 56 cases with lower back pain and sciatica during period from April 1984 to Aug 1986.
The result were as follows :
1. Thee mean value of the degree of facet angle at L4 -L5 was found to be 42.0±11.66° and 46.4±10.7° for left and right side, respectively.
2. The mean value of the degree of facet angle at L5-S1 was found to be 40.4±10.6° and 40.6±11.0° for left and right side, respectively.
3. The orientation and shape of facet joints at L4-L5 were more sagittally oriented any asymmetrically angled than facet joints at L5-S1.
Righr facet joints at L4-L5 were more sagittally oriented than left facet joints.
4. The high correlation between asymmetry of facet joints and disc herination at L4-L5 was found but no significant correlation was found at L5-S1.