Facet joint (FJ) disease is a common cause of axial low back pain with many minimally invasive image-guided treatment options. This article discusses fluoroscopic and CT-guided intraarticular FJ injections, medial branch (MB) radiofrequency ablation (RFA), and lumbar facet synovial cyst (LFSC) aspiration, rupture, or fenestration. Additionally, the article will highlight medial branch blocks (MBBs) utilized to diagnose facet-mediated pain and to predict outcomes to RFA.
Keywords: Anesthetic injection; Back pain; CT-guided spine intervention; Facet joint; Facet joint intraarticular injection; Facet pain; Facet synovial cyst; Facet synovial cyst aspiration; Facet synovial cyst fenestration; Facet synovial cyst lavage; Facet synovial cyst rupture; Fluoroscopic guided spine intervention; Medial branch block; RFA; Radiofrequency ablation; Radiofrequency neurotomy; Spine intervention; Spine treatment; Spondylolysis, Pars interarticularis defect; Spondylosis; Steroid injection; Zygapophysial joint.
© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to International Skeletal Society (ISS).