CT evaluation of the facet joint

1-Here you know that the facet joint is composed of two parts, one from the vertebra below and the other from the vertebra above.

2-When you look to axial CT, the part of the vertebra below is the one seen above while the part of the vertebra above is the part seen down.

3-Articular facet is a bony structure, so you must evaluate it in the bony window.

4-The only pathology which can be detected in this area is osteoarthritis(narrowed joint space, irrregular surfaces, osteophyte formation and vacuum phenomena).

Facet joints with osteoarthritis

Facet joint here is represented by the anterior limb of the dog(arrow).

Normal relationships of facet joints
Inferior articulating facet of body above (blue arrow) lies posterior to superior facet of body below (red arrow)

 

 

 

5-The neuro-central joint is present only in the cervical spines, not present in the lumbar spines.

This joint is due to articulation of the vertebral bodies to each other.

It also affected only by osteo-arthritis causing narrowing of the nerve root canal.