Comparison of multi-slice CT and MRI in detection of abnormal sacroiliac joint changes in patients with early stage of ankylosing spondylitis

Abstract

Objective To investigate the diagnostic value of 64-slice CT and MRI in detection of abnormal sacroiliac joint changes in patients with early stage of ankylosing spodylitis (AS).Methods The 64-slice CT and MRI imaging data of the sacroiliac joint early diseases(grade 0 ～ Ⅱ lesion) for the 66 patients with clinical confirmed were reviewed retrospectively,of which MRI contrast enhanced was performed in 6 patients.Results CT showed grade zero lesion 15 cases,grade Ⅰ lesion in 20 cases and grade Ⅱ lesion in 31 cases.MRI revealed bilateral articular bone marrow edema in 52 cases,articular cartilage erosive destruction in 48 cases,fat accumulation of bilateral articular bone in 36 cases,articular bone erosive destruction in 31 cases.Bilateral synovial membrane enhancement was showed in all patients who underwent contrast enhanced.Conclusions MRI can detect acute inflammatory changes which can not display by MSCT.Compared with MSCT,MRI is more useful in detection of abnormal sacroiliac joint changes in patients with early stage of AS. Key words: Spondylitis, ankylosing; Sacroiliac joint; Tomography, spiral computed; Magnetic resonance imaging