Facet joint arthrosis

What it means

Osteoarthritis of facet joints in the spine. Degeneration of cartilage in the facet joints results in bone rubbing on bone and reactive new bone formation visible on X-ray.

Facet joint osteoarthritis (FJ OA) is intimately linked to degenerative disk disease, which affects structures in the anterior aspect of the vertebral column. FJ OA and degenerative disk disease are both common causes of back and neck pain.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Facet arthritis