Neurospine.  2020 Jun;17(2):443-452. 10.14245/ns.2040076.038.

Relationship Between Endplate Defects, Modic Change, Facet Joint Degeneration, and Disc Degeneration of Cervical Spine

• Lee SH
• Son DW
• Lee JS
• Sung SK
• Lee SW
• Song GS

• KMID: 2503419
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14245/ns.2040076.038

Abstract

Objective
The ‘‘disc degeneration precedes facet joint osteoarthritis’’ hypothesis and multidimensional analysis were actively discussed in lumbar spine. However, in cervical spine degeneration, the multifactorial analyzes of disc degeneration (DD), Modic changes (Mcs), facet degeneration, and endplate degeneration (ED) is still limited. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to analyze the prevalence and interrelationship of cervical DD parameters.
Methods
We retrospectively recruited 62 patients aged between 60 and 70 years. The disc height, segmental angle, ossified posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), ED, facet joint degeneration (FD), uncovertebral joint degeneration (UD), DD, spinal stenosis (SS), Mc, and cord signal change (CS) were evaluated using a previously well-known grading system.
Results
The prevalence of cervical degenerative parameters were DD (grade 1, 1.2%; grade 2, 13.3%; grade 3, 54.8%; grade 4, 19.0%; grade 5, 11.7%), OPLL (26.2%), SS (grade 0, 7.7%; grade 1, 42.3%; grade 2, 26.2%; grade 3, 23.8%), UD (39.1%), ED (normal, 69.0%; focal defect, 9.7%; corner defect, 11.7%; erosion, 6.9%; sclerosis, 2.8%), and FD (normal, 48.8%; narrowing, 27.0%; hypertrophied, 24.2%). The interrelationship of degenerative parameters showed close relation between UD, SS, DD, OPLL, Mc. ED, and CS has partial relation with degenerative finding. FD only has relation with UD, and Mc.
Conclusion
Our results may indicate that FD is a degeneration that occurs independently, rather than as a result of other degenerative factors.

Keyword

Intervertebral disc degeneration; Zygapophyseal joint; Spinal stenosis; Spondylosis; Cross-sectional studies