Lumbar juxta-facet joint cysts in association with facet joint orientation, -tropism and - XXXX : A case-control study.

@entity2720 @entity1 @entity179 @entity625
OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between @entity2720 ( @entity2720 ) occurrence at the lumbar spine and Facet Joint (FJ) orientation, -tropism and - @entity625 . METHODS: Study group, 36 consecutive @entity1 with @entity2720 and the same number of controls, with @entity179 without @entity2720 were match paired for demographics and spine segment. Parameter assessment was by T2-weighted axial MRI scans. @entity2720 diagnosis was confirmed histopathologically. Group comparison was by Student's t-test for continuous variables and X(2) for categorical variables. RESULTS: Nineteen female and 17 male @entity1 , aged between 45 and 85 years (mean 67.19  10.3 years) had a mean @entity2720 size of 9.26  4.8mm occurring most frequently in the segment L4-L5 (75% n=25) and on the left side (61%). Mean FJ orientation of the study group was significantly more coronal compared to controls (left side 42   vs 36  , p<0.02*, 95% confidence interval: 0.9-11.5 and right side 43   vs 37  , p<0.02*, 95% confidence interval: 0.6-10.6 respectively). However, individual intersegmental analysis for study group @entity1 showed the @entity2720 bearing side to be significantly more sagittally oriented 40    11.2   compared to 45    13.2   for the side without FJC (p<0.03*, 95% confidence interval: 8.1-1.7). 50% of the study group showed FJ asymmetry compared to 30% in controls, with a trend for FJ tropism (p<0.07). Severe (grade 3) FJ @entity625 was significantly more predominant in the study group 23/33 (p<0.001*) as compared to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to a control group, @entity2720 occurrence is associated with significant higher rates of @entity625 and coronally orientated FJ. At intersegment comparison within the same @entity1 cysts located in more sagittally orientated FJ and the asymmetric segments show a trend for FJ tropism.
