Age-related changes in the cervical facet joints: studies with cryomicrotomy, MR, and CT.

Fletcher, Geoffrey P.; Haughton, V M; Ho, K C; Yu, Shiwei

doi:10.2214/ajr.154.4.2107682

Cited by 30 publications

(17 citation statements)

References 1 publication

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“…The degree of an individual's sagittal and coronal head tilt [48] might also influence the size of the ventral and dorsal synovial folds and right and left synovial folds, respectively. Based upon observations from cadaver studies, it is suggested that the morphology of the synovial folds changes in association with increasing age and/or articular degeneration [15,25,33,51,62]. In agreement with Friedrich et al [17] and Webb et al [60], neither of these age-related observations was verified by the results of the present study.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

The influence of age, anthropometrics and range of motion on the morphometry of the synovial folds of the lateral atlanto-axial joints: a pilot study

2010

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The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of age, anthropometrics and cervical range of motion upon synovial fold volume. Ten healthy female subjects aged 20-40 years were included in the study. Age, height, body mass, dimensions of the head and neck and cervical range of motion of each subject were measured. Magnetic resonance (MR) images of the cervical spine were acquired; the volume of the ventral and dorsal synovial folds of the right and the left lateral atlanto-axial joints was measured using seed growing and thresholding methods. Using Spearman's correlation coefficient, it was determined that there was no correlation between synovial fold volume and age. Synovial fold volume was positively correlated with subject height and neck length but negatively correlated with body mass, body mass index and the circumference of the head and neck. The relationship between synovial fold volume and range of cervical motion varied with the plane of movement. The ability to image the synovial folds of the lateral atlanto-axial joints using MR imaging to determine their normal morphology provides the basis for investigating synovial fold pathology in patients with neck pain and headache.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

The influence of age, anthropometrics and range of motion on the morphometry of the synovial folds of the lateral atlanto-axial joints: a pilot study

2010

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“…Fletcher et al , 2 systematically evaluated the cervical facet joints of 20 cadavers with MRI, CT, cryomicrotomy, and histological sections. 2 They found osteophytes and sclerotic bone in the facet joints of older subjects. In an osseous study of 465 mature human cadaveric cervical spines, the prevalence of facet arthrosis was common in the older population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…1 CT demonstrates osteophytes and hyperostosis but not changes to the articular cartilage. 2 Only MRI can assess the presence of edema in a degenerated facet. 3 There are few studies in the literature that have evaluated cervical facet joint degeneration using CT. 4 , 5 However, there is only one grading system for cervical facet joints using CT but no grading system using MRI.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Facet Joint Degeneration of the Cervical Spine

Park

Lee

Moon

et al. 2014

Spine

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“…However, the study has one important finding that also applies to patients with whiplash injury, namely, that soft tissue injuries around the facet joints, such as facet capsule injury, are difficult to diagnose using plain x-ray and CT. On the other hand, articular process fractures and the dislocation/ subluxation of facet joints are easily detected, especially using CT. With MRI, an increased amount of fluid in a facet joint can be revealed but the cause of such increased fluid is difficult to determine. Fletcher et al [69] also pointed out the difficulties of using plain radiological methods to verify minor musculoskeletal injuries in the cervical spine after cervical spine trauma. MRI examinations of patients with acute whiplash injury have not found any posttraumatic changes in the facet joints [22,203,223].…”

Section: Facet Jointsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whiplash injuries and associated disorders: new insights into an old problem

Rydevik¹,

Szpalski²,

Aebi³

et al. 2008

Eur Spine J

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SummaryThe Medical Task Force of the Swedish Society of Medicine and the Whiplash Commission has come to the following main conclusions:The term ''whiplash'' is so generally accepted that it should continue to be used, but the term ''whiplash trauma'' should only be used to refer to indirect cervical spine trauma. By deleting WAD grades 0 and IV from the classification system introduced in 1995 by the Quebec Task Force (QTF), the diagnosis of whiplash injury will be more exact and more realistically defined, which will reduce the risk of misunderstanding.The reported incidence of whiplash injuries in Sweden varies depending on the particular investigation cited, and ranges between 1.0 and 3.2/1000 per year. Whiplash injuries represent approximately 1/3 of all claims submitted after traffic injuries to insurance companies in Sweden, and give rise to a medical disability rate of 10% or more. Various studies of how the possibility of an insurance claim influences the course of a whiplash injury have produced quite different results, but generally there is no evidence of significant differences in outcome between those who have and have not sought claim.Ligament injuries can rarely be demonstrated acutely after whiplash trauma, and radiologically verified instability later in the course of the injury is also rare. Experimental studies have shown that whiplash trauma can lead to loads on discs and facet joints that might result in injury of these structures, but there is no scientific evidence to verify such injuries in patients with whiplash injury. Certain studies indicate that a dysfunction in the nervous system may exist in a small proportion of patients with whiplash injury.A series of physiological changes occurs in both the peripheral and the central nervous systems after whiplash injury, comprising peripheral as well as central sensitisation. There is no scientific evidence that such physiological changes are specific to the pain associated with whiplash injury; similar changes have been shown to occur in association with various other pain conditions, acute as well as long-term.It is likely that any previous mental ill-health and the patient's current mental state are both important for the clinical development and course of whiplash injury. To minimise the risk of long-term problems among people with acute whiplash injury, concurrently occurring acute stress disorder (ASD) and/or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) should be diagnosed and treated. It is also important to diagnose and adequately treat possible sleep disorder, depression, or anxiety among people with whiplash injury.Neck problems in terms of pain and stiffness, either with or without objective clinical findings such as decreased range of motion and tenderness at palpation (WAD grades I and II), are most common. Symptoms usually appear within the first day and up to a few days after whiplash trauma. Headache commonly occurs, along with pain in the shoulders and the thoracic spine. Neurological symptoms are present in approximately 20% of pat...

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Age-related changes in the cervical facet joints: studies with cryomicrotomy, MR, and CT.

Cited by 30 publications

References 1 publication

The influence of age, anthropometrics and range of motion on the morphometry of the synovial folds of the lateral atlanto-axial joints: a pilot study

The influence of age, anthropometrics and range of motion on the morphometry of the synovial folds of the lateral atlanto-axial joints: a pilot study

Facet Joint Degeneration of the Cervical Spine

Whiplash injuries and associated disorders: new insights into an old problem

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