Correlation between facet tropism and lumbar disc herniation

Abstract Purpose The relationship between facet tropism (FT) and lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is not clear. In the present study, MRI was used to assess the relationship between lumbar facet joint tropism and disc herniation. This paper is the first to assess the relationship between facet joint tropism and LDH from the sagittal view. Methods 122 patients (154 segments) with lumbar disc herniation and 102 normal subjects (306 segments) who visited our hospital from 01-Jan-2020 to 01-Apr-2020 were included in this study. The axial and sagittal angles of facet joints were measured using an MRI scan. The difference of 10° in facet angles between left and right was defined as lumbar facet tropism. The relationship between the two was analyzed. Results In the axial, 95/154 segments with lumbar disc herniation had FT whereas, 48/258 segments had FT in the normal segments(p < 0.01). In the sagittal, 61/154 segments with lumbar disc herniation had FT and 48/306 had FT in the control(p < 0.01). Conclusion The proportion of FT is better in patients with lumbar disc herniation, and there is a significant correlation between FT and lumbar disc herniation.