title: Prospective evaluation of sacroiliac scintigraphy in chronic inflammatory back pain.
abstract: To assess the usefulness in screening for sacroiliitis of a wide band profile cut which included the entire sacroiliac (SI) joint, 34 patients with chronic inflammatory back pain (IBP) underwent sacroiliac joint scintigraphy with 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate while receiving no antiinflammatory therapy. The sacroiliac joint to sacrum (SIJ/S) ratios in those with back pain differed significantly from the ratios of an age-matched control group. However, 12 of the 34 patients with inflammatory back pain had normal or equivocal sacroiliac radiographs and 4 of 12 had normal SIJ/S ratios. All 4 were HLA-B27 positive, had diminished lumbar movement, and required antiinflammatory medication; 2 had diminished chest expansion; 1 has developed iritis. We conclude that this technique is not a reliable screening procedure. Therapy with antiinflammatory drugs was associated with a significant decrease in the SIJ/S ratios in 19 of the 34 who were reimaged.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001415:Back; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012446:Sacroiliac Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D006680:HLA Antigens