title: Sacroiliac joint injections performed with sonographic guidance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of sonographic guidance for therapeutic intra-articular sacroiliac joint injections in patients with sacroiliitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-four consecutive patients with sacroiliitis were enrolled in this study. The synovial portions of 60 sacroiliac joints received injections under sonographic guidance. For treatment, a mixture of a corticosteroid and a local anesthetic was injected intra-articularly. Fluoroscopic spot images were obtained to assess the accuracy of the sonographically guided technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 60 sonographically guided injections, 46 (76.7%) were successful (i.e., intra-articular), and 14 (23.3%) were missed. The successful intra-articular injection rate was 60% in the first 30 injections, and it gradually improved, reaching 93.5% in the last 30 injections. The mean procedure time was 9 minutes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our initial experience suggests that sonographically guided therapeutic injections to sacroiliac joints could be valuable alternatives to other guidance modalities in patients with sacroiliitis. In the hands of experienced radiologists, this technique is safe, rapid, and reproducible.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Gülhane Military Medicine Academy, Haydarpaşa Training Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. zekai_p@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Mehmet Zekai
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Pekkafahli
authors.forename: Mehmet Zeki
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Kiralp
authors.forename: Cihat Cinar
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Başekim
authors.forename: Emir
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Silit
authors.forename: Hakan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mutlu
authors.forename: Ersin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oztürk
authors.forename: Eşref
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kizilkaya
authors.forename: Hasan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dursun
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000328:Adult; D001168:Arthritis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D008297:Male; D012446:Sacroiliac Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones