Lumbar facet joint tropism does not accelerate degeneration of the facet joints.

PURPOSE To study the relationship of lumbar facet joint tropism to degeneration of the cartilage and subcortical bone in the facet joints and the effect of tropism in intervertebral disk degeneration.

METHODS The orientation of 104 cadaveric lumbar facet joints with respect to sagittal plane was measured on CT scans, and the joints were classified as having no tropism, mild tropism, or severe tropism. On MR images, the severity of cartilage degeneration and bony sclerosis was measured. The correlation between tropism and degeneration was calculated, as was the relationship among age, spinal level, and degeneration.

RESULTS We identified four spinal levels with severe tropism, six with moderate tropism, and 94 without tropism. Cartilage degeneration was not significantly more severe in the joints with tropism than in the joints without. Sclerosis was slightly greater in the joints with tropism than in the joints without it. Sclerosis and cartilage degeneration were significantly related to age and spinal level.

CONCLUSION Age, spinal level, and overall facet joint angle are more important factors in facet joint degeneration than is tropism.