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- Title
Ossicles of lumbar articular facets: normal variant or spondylolytic variant?
- Authors
Kumar, Dalavaye; Fotiadou, Anastasia; Lalam, Radhesh; Ginder, Laurence; Eisenstein, Stephen; Tins, Bernard; Tyrrell, Prudencia; Delieu, John; McCall, Iain; Rees, Dai; Cassar-Pullicino, Victor
- Abstract
Purpose: The objective of this study was to establish the prevalence and significance of ossicles of lumbar articular facets (OLAF) in young athletes with backache diagnosed by multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT). Materials and methods: The MDCT examinations of the lumbar spine carried out for suspected spondylolysis on 46 consecutive symptomatic young athletes presenting to a sports injury clinic over a 1-year period were retrospectively reviewed. OLAF study included detailed correlation with the structural and morphological stress features of the posterior neural arches. This was then compared with a control group composed of 39 patients. Results: Twenty-three OLAF were identified in 15 patients. Eleven of the 15 patients with ossicles had posterior element stress changes (PEST)/pars defects. In the control group, two OLAF were identified in two patients, one demonstrating PEST changes. Conclusion: The high prevalence of OLAF in young symptomatic athletes compared with the asymptomatic control group is indicative of stress fractures. The non-united articular process fractures should be regarded as part of the spectrum of stress-induced changes in the posterior neural arch in the same way as spondylolysis. MDCT with volumetric acquisition and multi-planar reformation is the most reliable investigation in the diagnosis of OLAF. Key Points: 1) This CT study supports a traumatic aetiology for lumbar articular facets ossicles. 2) OLAF represent part of a spectrum of stress-induced changes in the posterior neural arch. 3) OLAF are associated with typical spondylolysis. 4) OLAF can be overlooked on reverse gantry angle computed tomography (RG-CT). 5) OLAF may account for some of the discrepancy between radionuclide and RG-CT studies.
- Subjects
SPORTS injuries; BACKACHE; SPONDYLOLYSIS; TOMOGRAPHY; PHYSIOLOGICAL stress
- Publication
Skeletal Radiology, 2012, Vol 41, Issue 12, p1559
- ISSN
0364-2348
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00256-012-1428-z