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What is hypertrophic facet changes?

Updated: 8/17/2019
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15y ago

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Facet hypertrophic change is a term commonly found in x-ray and MRI reports concerning the condition of the spine.

A facet is a type of joint found at the back or rear portion of the spine that gives support and strength to the spinal column while still allowing the spine to move. There are a total of 46 facet joints in the spine, made up of pairs of projections from two adjacent spinal bones that unit them together in a functional unit of strength and movement. These facet joints are all covered and further strengthened by layers of ligaments that reinforce each one.

Hypertrophy or hypertrophic change means that something that started out as one size in the body has increased in size, like with a muscle when the muscle is exercised or a tissue cell when the body is attempting to make that particular tissue work better or harder. Hypertrophic changes happen in joint tissue when the body is attempting to reinforce or strengthen a joint when it is being weakened by Arthritis.

In the case of facet hypertrophic changes, the ligaments would typically thicken and the bones in and around the joint would become more dense or harder, and extra bone tissue might be laid down to increase the size of the boney projections that make up the facet joint. All of these changes are visible in an MRI or x-ray examination and indicate early arthritis in that area of the spine where such changes are found, and would explain complaints of pain and stiffness.

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Q: What is hypertrophic facet changes?
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