Inflammatory and degenerative sacroiliac joint disease in a primary back pain cohort.

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of sacroiliac (SI) joint abnormalities in a primary low back pain population remains unresolved. The aims of our study were to define the prevalence of SI joint disease in this cohort, and to identify clinical features that might accurately predict radiographic changes in the SI joint and spine. METHODS: Lumbar spine and anteroposterior pelvis radiographs taken over a 3-year period for the evaluation of back pain at a major chiropractic college were scored for the presence of inflammatory or degenerative features. Data were subsequently extracted by means of a predetermined template from the clinical notes. The outcomes were correlated using Spearman's correlation coefficients. RESULTS: We identified 315 patients (173 men, 142 women), ages 18-60 years. Of these, 100 patients (31.7%) demonstrated SI joint abnormalities: 75 (23.8%) degenerative, 25 (7.9%) inflammatory. Sex was strongly associated with type of SI joint pathology; degenerative disease was predominantly found in women (68%), whereas inflammatory disease was predominantly found in men (63%). In women there was no correlation between degenerative SI joint abnormalities and degenerative changes in the lumbar spine. Of the clinical descriptors evaluated, none were associated with the radiographic findings with the exception of buttock pain, which was associated with inflammatory sacroiliitis. Neither being overweight nor pregnancy history was associated with degenerative changes in the SI joint. CONCLUSION: In a primary back pain cohort, degenerative SI joint disease may be an under-recognized clinical entity. It is strongly influenced by sex but is unrelated to degenerative changes in the lumbar spine. Currently proposed clinical discriminators performed poorly in correlating with radiographic changes in the SI joint.

Benign hidradenoma: magnetic resonance and ultrasound features of two cases.

Tumors of sweat gland origin are rare in the hand but should be considered in the differential diagnosis when certain imaging features are present. We present a case of nodular hidradenoma of the hand, with previously unreported magnetic resonance imaging features, and a further case in the thigh, both with ultrasound and histopathological correlation. The imaging literature of this tumor is reviewed, and its significance is discussed with respect to the current understanding of its malignant potential.

Anterolateral ankle impingement: mr arthrographic assessment of the anterolateral recess.

PURPOSE: To determine the accuracy of magnetic resonance (MR) arthrography in assessing the anterolateral recess of the ankle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-two patients with chronic ankle pain prospectively underwent gadolinium-enhanced MR arthrography of the tibiotalar joint. All underwent clinical examination and were included if anterolateral impingement (n = 13) or a control condition (n = 19; suspected osteochondral defect, intraarticular bodies, instability, osteoarthritis) was diagnosed. MR imaging included transverse and coronal T1-weighted and sagittal T2-weighted imaging sequences. Images were prospectively analyzed by two readers blinded to the clinical diagnosis. The anterolateral gutter contour was assessed. MR arthrographic findings were correlated with subsequent arthroscopic appearances. RESULTS: MR arthrographic assessment of the anterolateral soft tissues had an accuracy of 97%, sensitivity of 96%, specificity of 100%, negative predictive value of 89%, and positive predictive value of 100%. Accuracy was 100% with clinical anterolateral impingement, with an arthroscopically confirmed abnormality in 12 cases and a normal appearance in one. Anterolateral soft-tissue thickening was identified at MR arthrography in 11 control cases, with arthroscopic confirmation in all. The remaining cases had normal appearances, with an arthroscopic soft-tissue abnormality in one case and a normal appearance in seven. CONCLUSION: MR arthrography of the tibiotalar joint is accurate in assessing the anterolateral recess of the ankle.

Imaging of the seronegative spondyloarthropathies.

The group of seronegative spondyloarthropathies consists of ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, Reiter's disease, enteropathic spondylitis, and a fifth entity known as undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy. All of these diseases share common clinical and radiographic features with characteristic involvement of the sacroiliac joints, spine, and to various degrees, the peripheral joints. Although plain radiographs are the first line of imaging investigation, they are often insensitive for demonstrating the early changes of sacroiliitis, an important feature for establishing the early diagnosis of seronegative spondyloarthropathy. Other imaging modalities, including conventional tomography, bone scintigraphy, and computed tomography, have improved visualization of inflammatory changes at the sacroiliac joints. This article will review these modalities and emphasize the role of magnetic resonance imaging. By directly imaging changes in the synovium, articular cartilage, and subchondral bone, findings on magnetic resonance imaging are the most sensitive and specific for sacroiliitis and other changes in the axial skeleton. Its role and that of ultrasound in the assessment of the peripheral joints will also be highlighted.

Unilateral hemochromatosis arthropathy on a neurogenic basis.

We describe a 42-year-old man with right hemiplegia from cerebral palsy who presented with chronic left arm pain. Examination revealed 12 active joints, predominantly in the left hand. Radiographs showed characteristic changes of an advanced secondary osteoarthritic process in the left hand and only minimal changes on the right. Bone scan confirmed unilateral activity. Subsequent investigations diagnosed hemochromatosis. Unilateral arthropathy of hemochromatosis on a neurogenic basis has not been previously reported.

Posterolateral aspect of the knee: improved MR imaging with a coronal oblique technique.

PURPOSE: To determine if angling the coronal plane in magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the knee increases the conspicuity of the posterolateral structures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A coronal oblique MR imaging sequence performed parallel to the popliteal tendon proximally was added to our routine study in patient knee examinations. One hundred patients (age range, 12-72 years) underwent MR imaging. RESULTS: Coronal oblique images depicted the arcuate ligament in 46%, the fabellofibular ligament in 48%, and the fibular origin of the popliteal muscle in 53% of the patients, whereas standard coronal images depicted these in 10%, 34%, and 8% of the patients, respectively. Sagittal oblique images did not adequately depict these structures. CONCLUSION: Depiction of the structures in the posterolateral aspect of the knee was optimal on coronal oblique images. We advocate obtaining coronal oblique T2-weighted images in patients with either posterolateral knee pain or suspected injury to the posterolateral ligamentous structures.

Plantar compartments of the foot: MR appearance in cadavers and diabetic patients.

PURPOSE: To demonstrate the plantar compartments of the foot on magnetic resonance (MR) images. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The plantar compartments of four cadaveric feet underwent MR imaging and were sectioned. Fifteen MR studies in 11 patients with compartmental fluid were evaluated. The epicenter of infection was determined from review of the history, radiographs, and MR images. RESULTS: In the cadaveric feet, distribution of contrast material conformed to the compartmental anatomic features. MR findings in the specimen correlated exactly with gross findings. All seven feet with infection centered at the second through fourth metatarsal heads demonstrated only central compartment fluid. In seven of eight feet with a more medial or lateral epicenter of infection, fluid was seen in the lateral or medial compartment and in the central compartment. In one foot with a lateral epicenter of infection, fluid was confined to the lateral compartment. CONCLUSION: MR imaging accurately depicts the compartmental anatomic features of the foot.

Radiographic features of hepatocellular carcinoma and their relation to prognosis in Canada.

To determine the radiographic features of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) as seen in Canada and their relation to prognosis, multiple imaging studies for 40 patients with histologically proven HCC were reviewed. The patients, 34 men and 6 women ranging in age from 43 to 86 years, were selected from a larger database on the basis of the availability of ultrasound (US) images and at least one other imaging study. The patients had been examined between 1981 and 1991 at a tertiary-care hospital. In 35 of the 40 cases (88%) HCC had been detected by US assessment, the criterion for complete analysis, but in one of those cases the lesion was not observed in the initial scans. HCC was detected by computed tomography (CT) in the 27 cases in which that technique had been used. Cirrhosis was present in 27 of the 35 patients (77%) for which a complete analysis was performed. Median survival after diagnosis for all 40 patients was 14.1 weeks. Seven radiographic features were analysed for prognostic value by univariate and multivariate (Cox) regression analysis. However, the regression analysis indicated no relation between survival and tumour size, the nature of the tumour (diffuse and infiltrative or discrete), vascular involvement, encapsulation, extrahepatic spread, tumour location or echogenicity. No radiographic feature, including tumour size, correlated with the serum level of alpha-fetoprotein, which was elevated in 23 of the 32 cases (72%) in which it had been determined. These results confirm the variable radiographic appearance of HCC but differ in other respects from those reported previously, particularly those for studies performed outside North America.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)