RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Facet Joint Signal Change on MRI at Levels of Acute/Subacute Lumbar Compression Fractures
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 1468
OP 1473
DO 10.3174/ajnr.A3449
VO 34
IS 7
A1 Lehman, V.T.
A1 Wood, C.P.
A1 Hunt, C.H.
A1 Carter, R.E.
A1 Allred, J.B.
A1 Diehn, F.E.
A1 Morris, J.M.
A1 Wald, J.T.
A1 Thielen, K.R.
YR 2013
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/34/7/1468.abstract
AB BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The prevalence of facet joint signal change in acute/subacute lumbar vertebral body compression fractures is unknown. We hypothesized that facet joint signal change on MR imaging is more common in facet joints associated with an acute/subacute lumbar compression fracture than those associated with normal vertebral bodies or ones that have a chronic compression fracture. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three neuroradiologists and a neuroradiology fellow retrospectively graded facet joint inflammatory change on MR imaging in 900 facet joints in 75 patients with at least 1 painful osteoporotic lumbar compression fracture. Facet joint signal change was assessed on T2-weighted images with chemical fat-saturation, STIR images, and/or gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images with chemical fat-saturation. Each facet joint from the T12/L1 to L5/S1 level was assessed individually. An overall facet joint signal-change score, which is a composite measure of the grade of signal change for all 4 facet joints associated with a given lumbar vertebral level, was devised, and statistical significance was assessed via Wilcoxon rank sum tests. RESULTS: The overall facet joint signal-change scores were significantly higher at vertebral body levels affected by an acute/subacute compression fracture compared with control levels, which were associated with either normal bodies or chronic compression fractures. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest an association between facet joint signal change on MR imaging and acute/subacute lumbar vertebral body compression fractures. STIRshort tau inversion recovery