Background/Purpose:

The primary objective was to assess the prevalence of structural and inflammatory sacroiliitis on computed tomography (CT) and MRI in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The secondary aim was to elucidate clinico-biological factors associated with the presence of sacroiliitis in patients with IBD.

Methods:

This study involved 78 patients suffering from IBD who were followed in a gastroenterology department between 2004 and 2011: 61 of them with Crohn’s disease (CD) (78.2%) and 17 with ulcerative colitis (UC) (21.8%). Clinico-biological, endoscopic and imaging (CT and MRI) data were collected during patient follow-up. Structural sacroiliitis was assessed from CT exams performed according to the modified New-York criteria for structural assessement. Inflammatory sacroiliitis was assessed on axial and coronal fat suppressed injected T1-weighted sequences according to ASAS (Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society) criteria. Both imaging modalities were scored blindly by two independent readers (a rheumatologist and a radiologist) and the diagnosis of sacroiliitis (structural and inflammatory) was established by consensus.

Results:

The prevalence of structural sacroiliitis was 14.1% (n=11) and that of inflammatory sacroiliitis 15.4% (n=12). On MRI, unilateral sacroiliitis was depicted in five cases and bilateral sacroiliitis in seven. The prevalence of sacroiliitis according to both imaging modalities was 28.2% (n=22). Sacroiliac joints (SIJ) were considered normal in 71.8% (n=56). Disease duration of IBD was significantly associated with the presence of structural sacroiliitis (p=0.01) on CT and inflammatory sacroiliitis (p=0.02) on MRI. Others factors such as gender, age, type of IBD, localization of IBD, surgery history, biological inflammation, bowel disease activity and treatment were not associated with sacroiliitis.

Conclusion:

Structural or inflammatory sacroiliitis was revealed by CT or MRI in 28.2% of patients suffering from IBD. These imaging methods have a complementary role in establishing a diagnosis of sacroiliitis and contributing to an earlier diagnosis of axial spondylarthritis.

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« Back to 2013 ACR/ARHP Annual Meeting

ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/prevalence-of-structural-and-inflammatory-sacroiliitis-assessed-using-computed-tomography-and-mr-imaging-in-inflammatory-bowel-disease-a-retrospective-study-in-78-patients/