"Facet joint gap >1.5mm on axial imaging is a predictor of segmental instability 8."
"Degenerative spinal instability can occur anywhere in the vertebral column; however, this article focuses on lumbar degenerative spinal instability."
"Lumbar Spine Instability Questionnaire (LSIQ): a validated questionnaire with a score >9 (out of 15) associated with significantly higher pain and reduced physical activity"
"Modic type 1 endplate change, especially when involving 25-50+% of the vertebral body"
"severe facet joint degeneration with effusion and >1 mm articular gap (particularly at L4-L5) 8"
Expected headings
"Associations"
"Degenerative spinal instability can occur anywhere in the vertebral column; however, this article focuses on lumbar degenerative spinal instability."
"While features of instability can be seen on plain radiographs, CT and MRI, dynamic flexion/extension lumbar radiographs are still considered the gold standard 4."
"General features of instability include anterolisthesis or retrolisthesis with associated disc and facet joint degeneration, although the relationship between imaging findings, instability and their clinical relevance is yet to be fully established 3. In instability, disc height may be preferentially preserved, with a greater loss of disc height associated with less instability, which may reflect the “restabilisation phase” 5."