BACKGROUND: Because facet joints move with the disc, changes in vertebral bodies occur simultaneously with progression of degeneration of cervical facet joints. This study investigated age-related differences in cervical facet joint abnormalities and multi-dimensional characteristics of MCs in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty-five patients underwent both magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) of the cervical spine. Axial and sagittal parameter changes from C3 to C7, including facet orientation (FO) and facet tropism (FT), and Modic changes (MCs), were evaluated and documented preoperatively, and we also measured the heights and diameters of MCs and performed correlation analysis and established linear regression models.

RESULTS: The axial facet orientation increased slightly from C3 66.5 (11.4) to C7 89.9 (19). The sagittal facet orientation and facet tropism increased between C3–C4 and C6–C7, but it decreased between C4 to C6. The MCs volume decreased from C3 to C4 and increased from C4 to C7. There was a gradual decrease of FO and FT from C3 to C5 and a gradual increase of these 2 angles from C5 to C7 in all age groups. The lowest values of FO and FT were detected at C5, while the highest values of FO and FT were detected at C7.

CONCLUSIONS: Age was negatively correlated with the axial, sagittal, and coronal cervical facet orientation, especially at C4/5 level. The FT with respect to the axial and sagittal plane from C5 to C6 increased with age.

Keywords: Cervical Atlas, Cervical Length Measurement, Neck Dissection, Age Factors, Aged, 80 and over, Cervical Vertebrae, intervertebral disc degeneration, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Neck, Spinal Cord Diseases, Spinal Osteophytosis, spondylosis, Tomography, X-Ray Computed, Zygapophyseal Joint