Posterior facet arthritis is rarely described. The authors report a case of arthritis of the posterior lumbar facet in a woman consulting for back pain associated with relative functional impairment. Modern imaging, in slices, enables better examination of the posterior arch and better diagnosis of pathologies. Tuberculosis is one of the conditions affecting the posterior lumbar facet, and its characteristics on MRI are well-defined. This case shows that tuberculosis is a not uncommon cause of posterior facet arthritis and should be considered even before the appearance of clinical and bacteriological signs to avoid catastrophic situations for the patient.
Keywords: Burkina Faso; MRI; lumbar spine; posterior articular arthritis; tuberculosis.