C2-3 facet joint 'pseudo-fusion': anatomic basis of a normal variant
| Autor: | Son Luke Huynh, A. D. Massengill, John H. Harris |
|---|---|
| Rok vydání: | 1997 |
| Předmět: |
musculoskeletal diseases
medicine.medical_specialty Facet (geometry) business.industry Radiography Oblique case Anatomy musculoskeletal system Facet joint Diagnosis Differential Transverse plane medicine.anatomical_structure Spinal Injuries Coronal plane Orientation (geometry) Orthopedic surgery medicine Cervical Vertebrae Humans Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging Spinal Diseases Radiology business Tomography X-Ray Computed |
| Zdroj: | Skeletal radiology. 26(1) |
| ISSN: | 0364-2348 |
| Popis: | Objective. To identify the anatomic basis for apparent C2–3 facet joint fusion (pseudo-fusion) on lateral cervical spine radiographs. Design and patients. The studies of 81 consecutive blunt trauma patients who had both plain radiographs and a CT scan of the upper cervical spine were reviewed. The C2–3 facet joints were evaluated on lateral cervical spine radiographs and graded ”normal” (category 1), ”indistinct” (category 2), or ”fused” (category 3), relative to the C3–4 level. The accompanying CT scans were reviewed for the presence of fusion and the angle of orientation of the facet joints relative to the axial and coronal planes. Results. In category 1 (”normal”), the C2–3 facet joints were oriented nearly parallel to the true coronal and axial plane. In category 2 (”indistinct”), both the C2–3 facet joints were oriented obliquely to the true coronal and axial planes. In category 3 (”fused”), the C2–3 facet joints were also oriented obliquely, but at a steeper angle than in category 2. Head tilt/rotation caused a change in category rating in 5 of 81 cases (6.2%). Conclusion. The appearance of C2–3 facet joint fusion (pseudo-fusion) on lateral cervical spine radiographs may be a normal anatomic variant. This ”pseudo-fusion” is due to the oblique orientation of these facet joints relative to the X-ray beam and is usually unaffected by patient position. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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