The lumbar facet joint: a review of current knowledge: Part II: diagnosis and management

Skeletal Radiol. 2011 Feb;40(2):149-57. doi: 10.1007/s00256-010-0984-3. Epub 2010 Jun 26.

Abstract

This article is the second article in a two-part review on lumbar facet joint pathology. In this review, we discuss the current concepts and controversies regarding the proper diagnosis and management of patients presenting with presumed facet-mediated lower back pain. All efforts were made to include the most relevant literature from the fields of radiology, orthopaedics, physiatry, and pain management. Our focus in this article is on presenting the evidence supporting or refuting the most commonly employed injection-based therapies for facet-mediated lower back pain.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Arthrography / methods
  • Diagnostic Imaging / methods
  • Humans
  • Joint Instability / complications
  • Joint Instability / diagnosis*
  • Joint Instability / therapy*
  • Low Back Pain / etiology
  • Low Back Pain / prevention & control*
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / surgery*
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Spinal Diseases / complications
  • Spinal Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Spinal Diseases / therapy*
  • Zygapophyseal Joint / diagnostic imaging
  • Zygapophyseal Joint / surgery*