The orientation of facet joints and transverse articular dimension in degenerative spondylolisthesis.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the orientation of facet joints, facet tropism and transverse articular dimension could play a role in degenerative spondylolisthesis. MATERIAL AND METHOD: MRI study of L4-5 level of twenty degenerative spondylolisthesis and age-matched twenty control group were included. The orientation of facet joints, transverse articular dimension (TAD) and cosine facet orientation of TAD were measured with two independent observers. RESULTS: The facet orientation of more than 43 degrees and cosine facet orientation of TAD less than 7.4 were statistically significant for developing degenerative spondylolisthesis (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The facet orientation of degenerative spondylolisthesis patients was more sagittal orientation than the the control group, and the cosine facet orientation of TAD was also less than the control group.