[Ankylosing spondylitis (Bechterew's disease)--a current review (author's transl)]

Ankylosing spondylitis is a disease with clinically and radiologically very variable features. It is the intention to direct the attention from the old by orthopedists' influenced association of the stiff back to the polymorphism of the disease especially to the early stages which still frequently are recognized too late. The paper deals with the nosology, the various states of the clinical course with the numerous radiological criteria including therapeutical approaches.