Osteoarthritis of the vertebral column, also known as spinal osteoarthritis, is so common that it is widely known as spinal "degenerative change". Complications such as spinal stenosis are important to recognise.
Radiographic features
Spinal osteoarthritis presents radiologically like other joints with joint space narrowing, osteophytes, and subchondral cysts and sclerosis. Two types of osteophytes are described 2:
- spondylosis deformans
- bony spurs arising from the anterior and lateral endplate apophyses, which project obliquely or horizontally
- frequently asymptomatic
- thought to arise as a stress response on the annular ligament
-
intervertebral osteochondrosis
- disc space narrowing, vacuum phenomenon, endplate cartilage erosions, and vertebral body reactive changes (osteophytes and Modic changes)
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