Table 1.

Radiographic Scoring System for Degenerative Disc and Facet Disease

	Score	Operational Definition
Facet joint	0	Normal
	1	Narrowing of joint and/or mild eburnation
	2	Moderate narrowing + moderate eburnation or hypertrophy
	3	Severe osteoarthritis with narrowing, eburnation and osteophytes
Intervertebral disc	0	No disease, defined by normal disc height, no spur formation, no eburnation, and no gas
	1	Mild disease, defined by <25% disc space narrowing, small spur formation, minimal eburnation, and no gas
	2	Moderate disease, defined by 25%–75% disc space narrowing, moderate spur formation, moderate eburnation, and no gas
	3	Advanced disease, defined by >75% disc space narrowing, large spur formation, marked eburnation, gas present

Disease severity is defined by the most severe radiographic component at a particular level.