ATLANTOODONTOID OSTEOARTHRITIS - APPEARANCE AND PREVALENCE AT COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY

Citation
J. Zapletal et al., ATLANTOODONTOID OSTEOARTHRITIS - APPEARANCE AND PREVALENCE AT COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY, Spine (Philadelphia, Pa. 1976), 20(1), 1995, pp. 49-53
Citations number
NO
Categorie Soggetti
Orthopedics
ISSN journal
03622436
Volume
20
Issue
1
Year of publication
1995
Pages
49 - 53
Database
ISI
SICI code
0362-2436(1995)20:1<49:AO-AAP>2.0.ZU;2-Z
Abstract
Study Design. In this prospective study, the authors evaluated the atl anto-odontoid (AO) joint in 500 consecutive patients who underwent com puted tomographies (CTs) of the brain or paranasal sinuses. Objectives . The objective of the study was to determine age specificity of vario us morphologic abnormalities related to osteoarthritis at the AO joint in patients referred for CT primarily to exclude brain or sinus abnor malities. Summary of Background Data. In all patients at least two axi al slices through the AO joint were evaluated by two authors, and agre ement was reached by consensus. Methods. Abnormal morphology was categ orized into three groups: (1) osteophytosis; (2) obliteration of the j oint space; and (3) transverse ligament calcification. Results. In a s ignificant percentage of older individuals, some form of degenerative disease is present. These changes show a roughly linear progression wi th advancing age. Conclusion. Morphologic changes related to AO osteoa rthritis are frequent coincidental findings in patients referred for C T examination of the brain or paranasal sinuses. Awareness of the appe arance and prevalence of degenerative changes in the AO joint on CT is important because reports in-the literature and earlier findings of t he authors indicate that these changes can be a source of suboccipital headache.