Sensitivity and specificity of lumbar spine radiography in the assessment of facet joint osteoarthritis were evaluated, with computed tomography (CT) as the standard. Two independent radiologists used a four-point scale to blindly grade facet joint osteoarthritis on oblique radiographs and transaxial CT scans obtained within an 8-month period in 50 consecutive patients with pain in the lower back. The L-3 to L-4, L-4 to L-5, and L-5 to S-1 facet joints were evaluated, and 68% appeared abnormal on CT scans, with 28% exhibiting moderate or severe disease. Interobserver agreement was high for conventional radiography (perfect agreement in 57% and agreement to within one grade in 39%) and still higher for CT (perfect in 63% and to within one grade in 35%). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that oblique radiography was most accurate (55% sensitivity, 69% specificity) in distinguishing the presence from the absence of disease; in distinguishing absent or mild from moderate or severe disease, the specificity of oblique radiography was higher, at 94%, but its sensitivity was much lower, at 23%. Conventional radiography is a useful technique in screening for facet joint osteoarthritis but is insensitive compared with CT.
"Vacuum" phenomena relate to the accumulation of gas, principally nitrogen, in crevices within the intervertebral disk or vertebra. Their appearance does not uniformly indicate "degenerative" disk disease (primary intervertebral osteochondrosis), as gaseous collections may accompany other processes (vertebral osteomyelitis, Schmorl node formation, spondylosis deformans, vertebral collapse with osteonecrosis) affecting the disk and adjacent vertebral bodies. The location and appearance of the "vacuum" phenomena are helpful indicators as to the precise nature of the spinal disorder.
In the presence of joint space narrowing, it is important to differentiate inflammatory from degenerative conditions. Joint inflammation is characterized by bone erosions, osteopenia, soft-tissue swelling, and uniform joint space loss. Inflammation of a single joint should raise concern for infection. Multiple joint inflammation in a proximal distribution in the hands or feet without bone proliferation suggests rheumatoid arthritis. Multiple joint inflammation in a distal distribution in the hands or feet with bone proliferation suggests a seronegative spondyloarthropathy, such as psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis.
Entheses are sites of tendon and ligament attachment to bone, and enthesopathy is a disease process occurring at these sites. It may be inflammatory, degenerative, endocrine, metabolic, or traumatic in nature. Common sites of involvement include the pelvis, femoral trochanter, humeral tuberosity, patella, olecranon, and calcaneus as well as portions of the vertebral column. Specific radiographic features, including bone erosion, hyperostosis, fragmentation, and crystal deposition, may allow a precise diagnosis.
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