title: 18F-fluoride PET/CT for detection of axial involvement in ankylosing spondylitis: correlation with disease activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Aim of the current study was to evaluate the relationships between the findings of 18F-fluoride PET/CT (F-PET/CT) reflecting osteo-proliferative processes and the clinical indexes related to the disease activity. The clinical indexes are Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS).
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 29 AS patients aged 26-69 years with a wide range of disease activity using F-PET/CT. The number of regions of high bone turnover or osteoarthritis features at the spine and at sacroiliac joints was counted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The number of F-PET/CT positive sites was significantly higher in patients with severe functional impairment and higher disease activity and it was positively related to both BASDAI (r = 0.336; P = 0.036) and ASDAS (r = 0.408; P = 0.014) while the number of degenerative features (osteoarthritis) was related neither with functional impact nor with disease activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With a single examination, F-PET/CT accurately identifies the functional impairment and the clinical involvement of AS. The good correlation we found between the number of F-PET/CT positive sites and disease activity candidates this technique also for follow-up of AS.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Ospedale Civile Maggiore, Piazzale A. Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy. luca.idolazzi@univr.it.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Idolazzi
authors.affiliation: Nuclear Medicine Unit, Ospedale Sacro Cuore, Negrar, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salgarello
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Ospedale Civile Maggiore, Piazzale A. Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gatti
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Ospedale Civile Maggiore, Piazzale A. Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Ombretta
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Viapiana
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Ospedale Civile Maggiore, Piazzale A. Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vantaggiato
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Ospedale Civile Maggiore, Piazzale A. Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fassio
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Ospedale Civile Maggiore, Piazzale A. Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Silvano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adami
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Verona, Ospedale Civile Maggiore, Piazzale A. Stefani 1, 37126, Verona, Italy.
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rossini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005459:Fluorides; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D005459:Fluorides
keywords: 18F-fluoride PET; ASDAS; Ankylosing spondylitis; BASDAI; BASFI; Spondyloarthritis