CT of sacroiliitis.

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Orthopedics
• Inflammatory Diseases

Background:

• Sacroiliitis diagnosis is often uncertain with conventional imaging methods like radiography and radionuclide scanning.
• Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for effective management of sacroiliitis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of computed tomography (CT) in detecting sacroiliitis compared to conventional radiography.
• To assess CT's utility in patients with suspected sacroiliitis.

Main Methods:

• Computed tomography (CT) was utilized to examine the sacroiliac joints of 20 consecutive patients with clinical suspicion of sacroiliitis.
• Clinical criteria and conventional radiography findings were compared with CT results.

Main Results:

• Computed tomography (CT) identified sacroiliitis in 12 out of 17 patients who met clinical criteria.
• Conventional radiography showed diagnostic changes in only five patients.
• Seven patients with CT-confirmed sacroiliitis had equivocal or negative conventional radiographs, highlighting CT's superior sensitivity.

Conclusions:

• Computed tomography (CT) demonstrates superior sensitivity and accuracy in detecting sacroiliitis compared to conventional radiography.
• CT imaging is a valuable tool for confirming sacroiliitis, especially when conventional methods yield inconclusive results.