Clinical Value Of Lumbar Facet Joint Effusion Signs In Lumbar Degenerative Diseases

Objective:The purpose of this study was to explore the significance of different distribution of lumbar facet joint effusion(unilateral or bilateral)and the amount of lumbar facet joint effusion in the process of lumbar degeneration by collecting imaging indexes of patients with lumbar facet joint effusion.Methods:Patients with lumbar facet joint effusion in L4-L5 segment treated in our hospital from December 2020 to December 2021 were analyzed retrospectively.There were 65 males and 77 females,including 69unilateral facet joint effusion and 73 bilateral facet joint effusion.All the patients were confirmed by the orthopedic attending physician and their superiors.All patients underwent CT and MRI examinations of the lumbar vertebrae in the supine position,as well as X-ray examinations of hyperextension of the lumbar spine.All MRI,CT and X-ray films are measured using Radiant DICOM Viewer(Medixant,Poznan,Poland).The correlation between joint effusion width,effusion area and lumbar stability,facet joint degeneration grade,lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration index and lumbar lumbosacral angle were analyzed.In order to explore the significance of the distribution of joint effusion,the patients were divided into unilateral effusion group and bilateral effusion group.Results:1.The correlation between the effusion volume(width and area)of lumbar facet joint and the above indexes was compared.Pearson correlation analysis was used to compare the measurement data of normal distribution,while Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the data of non-normal distribution and classification.The results showed that the width of joint effusion was positively correlated with lumbar stability and the size of lumbosacral angle.When the width of effusion was 2 mm,the probability of lumbar instability was 58.1%.The area of joint effusion was positively correlated with lumbar stability and the size of lumbosacral angle.When the area of effusion was 0.2 cm~2,the probability of lumbar instability was 58.9%.2.The chi-square test showed that there was a significant difference in the proportion of lumbar stability between the unilateral lumbar facet joint effusion group and the bilateral lumbar facet joint effusion group(χ~2=2.989 P<0.05).There was no significant difference in age,grade of lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration and grade of facet joint degeneration between the two groups(P>0.05).T test showed that the size of lumbosacral angle in bilateral effusion group was significantly higher than that in unilateral effusion group,and the difference was statistically significant(t=-3.6634%,P<0.05).Conclusions:1.The width and area of effusion were positively correlated with lumbar stability and LSA.2.A bilateral effusion signal is more likely to indicate lumbar instability than a unilateral effusion signal.