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Updated: Sep 21, 2026

A 3D System for Culturing Human Articular Chondrocytes in Synovial Fluid
Published on: January 31, 2012
Synovial chondromatosis in a facet joint of a cervical vertebra
M Kyriakos1, W G Totty, K D Riew
1Division of Surgical Pathology, the Department of Radiology, and the Department of Orthopaedics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110, USA.
Study Design:
A case report of a cervical facet joint synovial chondromatosis.
Objectives:
To correlate the radiologic and histologic features of vertebral synovial chondromatosis with review of the literature.
Summary Of Background Data:
Only two previous cases of vertebral facet joint synovial chondromatosis were found in a review of the English language medical literature.
Methods:
A 39-year-old woman had severe cervical pain associated with neurologic signs and symptoms in the left upper extremity. Computed tomographic and magnetic resonance imaging studies were performed.
Results:
Imaging studies showed lytic defects in the laminae of C3 and C4, with intermediate T1 and high T2 signal intensities. The diagnostic impression was that of a lymphangioma or synovial cyst. A laminectomy showed synovial tissue in both the C3-C4 facet joint and the lamina bone. Histologic examination disclosed synovial chondromatosis.
Conclusions:
Synovial chondromatosis of the vertebral spine is quite rare, this being only the third reported example. Direct invasion of the cancellous bone, as in this case, also is a very uncommon feature of chondromatosis. It is emphasized that when radiologic studies demonstrate a lesion with cartilaginous characteristics within or juxtaposed to a joint, synovial chondromatosis, despite its rarity, should be included in the differential diagnosis, regardless of the anatomic site.
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