[Computerized tomography imaging of the lumbar spine in arthroosteitis pustulosa (case report)]

Computed tomography of lumbar spine in a case of pustulotic arthroosteitis demonstrates unusual proliferative changes of syndesmophytes and of the vertebral body. The osseous structures look "frayed out" and resemble the changes of sternoclavicular hyperostosis in early stages. A three dimensional picture shows that these proliferative changes apparently consist of irregular strips of bone. In addition, the vertebral body is surrounded by a soft tissue structure which probably indicates a perivertebral inflammatory process. Radiological changes of the lumbar spine in pustulotic arthroosteitis seem to represent a form of inflammatory enthesopathy similar to sternoclavicular hyperostosis.