Fig 1.

For the L2 vertebral body, the facet joint signal-change score (0–16) is the sum of the facet joint signal-change grades of each of the 4 associated facet joints (0–4). Anatomically, the L2 vertebral body–associated facet joints are shared with the adjacent vertebral bodies. Therefore, the L2-associated facet joints could be subject to stress from compression fractures of the L2 or adjacent L1 and L3 vertebral bodies. For the L2 level, the above facet joint signal-change score for the L1/L2 and L2/L3 facet joints of patients with an acute/subacute compression fracture of L1, L2, and/or L3 was compared with the facet joint signal-change score for the L1/L2 and L2/L3 facet joints of patients without an acute/subacute compression fracture at L1, L2, or L3. This same method was then applied to the remaining lumbar vertebrae.