Facet joint arthrography and steroid injection

Abstract

Degenerative changes in lumbar facet joints are a very frequent finding, especially with computed tomography (CT) [2]. These changes are suspected in many cases to be the cause of low back pain, especially when radiological procedures fail to demonstrate impingement of the nerve root by a herniated disc. However, it is always difficult to determine that pain actually originates in the facet joints. Pain may originate in facet joints with normal radiological appearance. Conversely, significant radiological degenerative changes in facet joints may remain asymptomatic. Facet arthrography with therapeutic injection is the only radiological procedure which can help to ascertain to what extent low back pain may originate in the lumbar facet joints.