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Costovertebral joint erosion in ankylosing spondylitis
1Department of Medicine, Section of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans 70112, USA.
American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
|January 4, 2001
Summary
Ankylosing spondylitis can cause severe thoracic pain due to destructive costovertebral joint arthropathy. This condition involves rib osteolysis and hypertrophic changes, requiring consideration in affected patients.
Area of Science:
- Rheumatology
- Orthopedics
- Radiology
Background:
- Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease primarily affecting the spine.
- Thoracic pain is a common but often complex symptom in patients with spondyloarthropathies.
Observation:
- A patient with ankylosing spondylitis presented with severe thoracic spine pain.
- Imaging revealed destructive arthropathy of a costovertebral joint.
Findings:
- Computed tomography demonstrated severe osteolysis of the eleventh rib head.
- Hypertrophic sclerotic arthropathy of the costovertebral joint was identified as the pain source.
Implications:
- Costovertebral arthropathy is a potential cause of severe thoracic pain in ankylosing spondylitis.
- Radiographic evaluation of costovertebral joints is crucial for diagnosing thoracic pain in these patients.