The early diagnosis value of MRI for detecting spinal inflammatory lesions in ankylosing spondylitis / 实用放射学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the early diagnosis value of MR by detecting spinal inflammatory lesions in ankylosing spon-dylitis (AS).Methods Forty patients were involved in this study,including 20 cases with short inflammatory back pain (IBP)histo-ry (duration ≤18 months)and 20 cases with long IBP history (duration ≥24 months).MR images were analyzed retrospectively. Results Patients with a short history of IBP had 7 lesions in vertebral bodies (anterior/posterior spondylitis and spondylodiscitis) and 33 lesions in posterior spinal structures (arthritis of costovertebral joints,costotransversal joints,zygapophyseal joints and en-thesitis of spinal ligaments).Patients with a long history of IBP had 27 lesions in vertebral bodies and 24 lesions in posterior spinal structures.Patients with a short history of IBP had significantly more lesions in posterior spinal structures than in vertebral bodies with 82.5% (33/40)vs 1 7.5% (7/40),respectively (P <0.01).In contrast,patients with a long history of IBP had significantly more inflammation in vertebral bodies with 79.4% (27/34)vs 20.6% (7/34),respectively (P <0.01).Conclusion Inflammatory spinal lesions in patients with a short history of IBP are seen more often in the posterior structures.Early detection of inflammatory spinal lesions by MRI is useful for early diagnosis of AS.