Lumbar Facet Tophus: An Overlooked Cause of Young Back Pain

Gout primarily affects peripheral joints but can also involve the spine. The lumbar spine is the most common site of spinal tophus, in which tophi commonly deposit within facet joints, causing adjacent bone erosion.1,2 Spinal gout is often underdiagnosed due to its variable and nonspecific presentations, such as back pain, radicular pain, or motor deficits.1