title: Fast spin echo-T2-weighted sequences with fat saturation in dactylitis of spondylarthritis. No evidence of entheseal involvement of the flexor digitorum tendons.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish by means of fast spin echo (FSE)-T2-weighted sequences with fat saturation if enthesitis of the flexor digitorum superficialis and profundus tendons is the primary lesion in spondylarthritis (SpA) finger dactylitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eleven dactylitic fingers and their corresponding normal, contralateral fingers, belonging to 6 patients who met the Amor criteria for SpA, were studied by FSE-T2-weighted sequences with fat saturation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All dactylitic fingers showed moderate or severe fluid collection in the flexor tendon synovial sheaths. Involvement of the joint cavity was simultaneously present in at least one joint in 3 (27.3%) of the 11 fingers. A mild to moderate peritendinous soft tissue edema was observed in 5 (45.5%) of the 11 affected fingers. In no dactylitic finger was bone edema observed near the insertions of the flexor digitorum superficialis or profundus tendons or in other sites of the phalanges. No lesions were observed in the 11 contralateral, clinically normal fingers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In SpA dactylitis there is no evidence of enthesitis of the flexor digitorum tendons and joint capsules.
authors.affiliation: San Carlo Hospital, Potenza and Madonna delle Grazie Hospital, Matera, Italy.
authors.forename: Ignazio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Olivieri
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Salvarani
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cantini
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scarano
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Padula
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Niccoli
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciancio
authors.forename: Libero
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barozzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025241:Spondylarthritis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013710:Tendons / Q000473:pathology*