Spine abnormalities associated with bone edema on sacroiliac joints MRI in patients with non-inflammatory chronic back pain

Objective: To investigate whether bone marrow edema (BME) fulfilling the ASAS definition of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sacroiliitis is associated with non-inflammatory spine abnormalities in patients with definite mechanical chronic back pain (CBP). Methods: Patients with definite mechanical CBP, according to the physician, started before the age of 45 and be lasting for more than 3 months but less than 3 years underwent a protocolized MRI and radio-graphs of sacroiliac joint (SIJ) and spine. BME and structural changes were scored, by three readers, for SIJ as well as non-inflammatory abnormalities for spine, including degenerative lesions and static dis-orders. Univariate analysis by Chi(2) test was performed to search a statistical association between BME fulfilling the ASAS definition of MRI sacroiliitis and the presence of at least one non-inflammatory spine abnormality. Results: A total of 94 patients were analyzed, 27 (29%) patients had BME and 16 (17%) patients had BME fulfilling the ASAS definition of MRI sacroiliitis; 86 (91.5%) patients had at least one non-inflammatory spine abnormality which are associated into 3 distinct clusters. BME was slightly more frequent at the lower and posterior part of the SIJ. MRI sacroiliitis was associated with interspinous bursitis, facet joint effusion and lateral spinal deviation and was more likely in patients with at least one non-inflammatory spine abnormality (OR: 4.96, 95% CI [1.47; 16.72]). Conclusions: BME fulfilling the ASAS definition of MRI sacroiliitis is significantly associated with non -inflammatory spine abnormalities in patients with mechanical CBP. (c) 2022 Societe francaise de rhumatologie. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study investigated the association between bone marrow edema fulfilling the ASAS definition of MRI sacroiliitis and non-inflammatory spine abnormalities in patients with mechanical chronic back pain. The results showed a significant association between BME and non-inflammatory spine abnormalities.