title: Ankylosing spondylitis: A state of the art factual backbone.
abstract: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that affects 1% of the general population. As one of the most severe types of spondyloarthropathy, AS affects the spinal vertebrae and sacroiliac joints, causing debilitating pain and loss of mobility. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of AS, from the pathophysiological changes that occur as the disease progresses, to genetic factors that are involved with its onset. Considering the high prevalence in the population, and the debilitating life changes that occur as a result of the disease, a strong emphasis is placed on the diagnostic imaging methods that are used to detect this condition, as well as several treatment methods that could improve the health of individuals diagnosed with AS.
authors.affiliation: Mohammad Ghasemi-rad, Hosam Attaya, Division of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghasemi-Rad
authors.affiliation: Mohammad Ghasemi-rad, Hosam Attaya, Division of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
authors.forename: Hosam
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Attaya
authors.affiliation: Mohammad Ghasemi-rad, Hosam Attaya, Division of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
authors.forename: Emal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lesha
authors.affiliation: Mohammad Ghasemi-rad, Hosam Attaya, Division of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vegh
authors.affiliation: Mohammad Ghasemi-rad, Hosam Attaya, Division of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
authors.forename: Tooraj
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maleki-Miandoab
authors.affiliation: Mohammad Ghasemi-rad, Hosam Attaya, Division of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
authors.forename: Emad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Nosair
authors.affiliation: Mohammad Ghasemi-rad, Hosam Attaya, Division of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
authors.forename: Nariman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sepehrvand
authors.affiliation: Mohammad Ghasemi-rad, Hosam Attaya, Division of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Davarian
authors.affiliation: Mohammad Ghasemi-rad, Hosam Attaya, Division of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rajebi
authors.affiliation: Mohammad Ghasemi-rad, Hosam Attaya, Division of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
authors.forename: Abdolghader
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pakniat
authors.affiliation: Mohammad Ghasemi-rad, Hosam Attaya, Division of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
authors.forename: Seyed Amirhossein
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Fazeli
authors.affiliation: Mohammad Ghasemi-rad, Hosam Attaya, Division of Interventional Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
authors.forename: Afshin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohammadi
keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis; Computed tomography; Diagnosis; Magnetic resonance imaging; Treatment; Ultrasound