Furthermore, in 33 patients (63.5%), neither radiographic signs of lumbar instability nor exaggerated facet fluid on the MRI were observed, even though multiple degenerated discs were present.
Yes there is the argument that the whole mother-earth thing (which, by the way, is a hugely over-exaggerated facet of crustie culture) is a bit facetious considering most of them probably have relatively nice middle class lives underneath all the hemp.
Schinnerer et al. [14], in a retrospective review of 118 supine lumbar MRI, reported that 16 had exaggerated fluid in the facets on the axial images (13.6%).
In the 15 patients with exaggerated fluid in the facet joints, the grade of disc degeneration and facet joint degeneration at the level of anterolisthesis were, respectively, type 2 in 58% of the cases according to the Pfirrmann classification [17], and type 2 in 75% of the cases according to the Grogan classification [9].
Among these 12 patients, the axial T2 MRI showed exaggerated fluid in the facet joints at the corresponding level in 8 patients (66%).
The authors concluded that exaggerated fluid in the facet seen on axial MRI is significantly suggestive that spondylolisthesis will be observed on standing films, even if this is not perceived on the supine sagittal MRI sequences.
Rihn et al. [12] reported, in a retrospective study of 51 patients treated surgically for degenerative lumbar disease, that 55% of the cases had exaggerated fluid in the facet joints on MRI.
According to our data, there is a highly statistically significant correlation between exaggerated fluid in the facet joints and lumbar instability (Fisher's exact test = 10.87; P = 0.001); see Table 1.
Among these 12 patients with radiographic signs of degenerative spondylolisthesis, the MRI showed exaggerated fluid in the facet joints at the corresponding level in 8 patients (66%) (Fig. 2).
Fifteen patients had exaggerated fluid in the lumbar facets on the axial T2 MRI (28.8%).
Axial T2-weighted MRI can also detect increased fluid in the lumbar facet joints, but, to the best of our knowledge, few papers have reported a correlation between exaggerated fluid in the lumbar facet joints and radiographic signs of lumbar spine instability [12, 13, 14, 15].
