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Fig. 3 Facet joint osteoarthritis on computed tomography. a, b Axial view of a normal lumbar
spine. c, d Axial view of a lumbar spine with facet joint osteoarthritis. Hypertrophy (asterisks) and
erosions (arrows) are common findings in facet joint osteoarthritis
In patients with cervical radiculopathy, disk protrusion was identi
ed as the cause
in 21.9 % of patients [
12
]. In a study of cervical MRI scans of patients undergoing
throat surgery who had no neck pain, cervical disc protrusion or herniation was
incidentally seen in 20 % of patients aged 45
54, and 57 % of those older than 64
[
13
]. Lumbar degenerative disk disease affects young to middle aged people as
well, with a peak incidence at age 40 years. A recent study using MRI of the whole
spine of 975 individuals found degenerative disk disease in 71 % of men and 77 %
of women younger than age 50 years, and in more than 90 % of men and women
older than age 50 years [
14
].
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