Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2025, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (21): 4486-4491.doi: 10.12307/2025.102

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Digital three-dimensional morphological analysis of developmental characteristics of cervical facet joints in adolescents aged 13-18 years

Li Guihua1, He Yujie2, Shi Jun3, Li Kun2, 4, Zhang Shaojie2, 4, Liu Lu2, Li Zhijun2, 4, Wang Xing2, 4   

  1. 1First Hospital of Prison Administration Bureau of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hohhot 010000, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China; 2Department of Anatomy, 3Department of Physiology, 4Digital Medicine Center, School of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010110, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
  • Received:2023-09-05 Accepted:2023-11-30 Online:2025-07-28 Published:2024-12-05
  • Contact: Li Zhijun, Professor, Doctoral supervisor, Department of Anatomy, and Digital Medicine Center, School of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010110, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China Wang Xing, MD, Associate professor, Department of Anatomy, and Digital Medicine Center, School of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010110, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
  • About author:Li Guihua, MS, Attending physician, First Hospital of Prison Administration Bureau of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hohhot 010000, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China He Yujie, Lecturer, Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010110, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China Li Guihua and He Yujie contributed equally to this article.
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81860383 (to LZJ); Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, No. 2020LH08021 (to LZJ); National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81860382 (to WX); Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, No. 2020MS03061 (to WX); Youth Science and Technology Talents Support Program of Higher Education Institutions of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, No. NJYT22009 (to WX); Science and Technology Plan Project of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, No. 2019GG158 (to WX); Key Research Project of Inner Mongolia Medical University, No. YKD2021ZD011 (to WX); Health Commission Medical Health Technology Project of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, No. 202201217 (to WX); Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, No. 2019MS08017 (to ZSJ); Youth Fund Project of Inner Mongolia Medical University, No. YKD2021QN011 (to HYJ); Youth Fund Project of Inner Mongolia Medical University, No. YKD2020QNCX055 (to LK) 

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Abstract: BACKGROUND: The cervical facet joint, as an important anatomical structure of the posterior column of the cervical spine, plays an important role in neck activity, stress transmission, and maintaining cervical stability. In recent years, anatomical and biomechanical studies have shown that asymmetry of cervical facet joints can cause degeneration of facet joints, which may be the main cause of cervical spine degeneration in young people. Existing research is mostly focused on adults, and there are also reports on preschool and school-age children in China, while there are few reports on the morphological parameters of cervical facet joints in adolescents.
OBJECTIVE: Through three-dimensional reconstruction of the cervical facet joints in adolescents, measuring their relevant morphological parameters, and comparing them with those in children and adults, we explored the age-related changes in the morphological development of cervical facet joints, providing a theoretical basis for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cervical spondylosis arising from cervical facet joints.
METHODS: A total of 62 adolescents aged 13-18 years were selected to undergo spiral CT scan of cervical vertebrae and 3D reconstruction, requiring no bone destruction, tumor, deformity, or fracture, no changes in vertebrae morphology and structure, no previous spinal operations. The guardian’s informed consent to the experimental protocol was obtained. By age group, group A was 13-14 years old; group B was 15-16 years old; group C was 17-18 years old. The correlation morphometry and statistical analysis of C2-C7 facet joints were performed in adolescents of each group.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) In three groups of subjects, the facet joint surface heights and widths displayed decreasing and increasing trends in relation to the change of vertebra order. The facet joint surfaces on the inferior surface showed larger height and width compared to the corresponding indicators on the superior surface. (2) The intra-articular height of the articular process was lowest in C5 among the three groups of ages, and it showed a positive correlation with age. (3) Among the three groups, the gaps between the articular surfaces of the joints in C4-5 of group A, C3-4 of group B, and C4-5 of group C were significantly larger than the rest of the gaps in each group. Except for C4-5, there were no significant differences between the two groups. Except for C2-3, 
the remaining gaps between the vertebrae in group C were significantly larger than those in the two groups. (4) It is indicated that the morphology of the cervical facet joint surface gradually transitions from circular to elliptical as the vertebral order increases. In inter-group comparison, facet joint surface height is significantly affected by age compared to facet joint surface width. The area of the lower facet joint surface of each segment is greater than that of the upper facet joint surface, with only significant differences in the shape and area of C4-5 and C5-6. In addition, the minimum height of the facet joint is located at C5, and the significantly widened gap between the facet joint surfaces is mainly located at C3-4 and C4-5. Therefore, cervical instability often occurs at the mid-level. 

中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：人工关节；骨植入物；脊柱；骨折；内固定；数字化骨科；组织工程

Key words: adolescents, cervical vertebrae, facet joint, digital morphology, three-dimensional reconstruction

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