Correlating SPECT-CT activity in cervical facet joints with positive response to cervical medial branch blocks

Cervical facet arthritis is a significant source of neck pain and impaired function that is amenable to treatment with medial branch radiofrequency neurotomy (RFN). Identifying appropriate patients for this treatment requires integration of information from the history, physical exam and diagnostic imaging, but the current diagnostic standard for facet-mediated pain is positive comparative medial branch blockade (MBB). SPECT-CT has recently been evaluated as a potential predictor of positive medial branch blocks with mixed results. The purpose of this retrospective analysis was to determine if a relationship exists between increased uptake on SPECT-CT of a given cervical facet joint and a positive MBB.

A retrospective review was performed to identify all patients undergoing cervical MBB within 12 months after having a cervical SPECT-CT. Each procedure was categorized as either Concordant (all facet joints demonstrating increased ^99mTc uptake on SPECT-CT were blocked) or Discordant (at least one facet joint demonstrating increased ^99mTc uptake on SPECT-CT was not blocked or block was performed in a patient that had no increased uptake on SPECT-CT). Statistical analysis was performed to determine if concordance between facet joints demonstrating increased uptake on SPECT-CT and those undergoing MBB was associated with a positive block using cutoffs of 50% and 80% pain relief.

A total of 43 procedures were analyzed (25% Concordant, 75% Discordant) and both groups demonstrated improvement in pain Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) scores. No significant association between concordance and positive MBB was identified at thresholds of 50% (p = .481) and 80% (p = 1.000) pain relief.

SPECT-CT findings do not accurately predict positive cervical MBB but may provide valuable information that can be considered with other factors when deciding which joints to treat.