title: Juxta-vertebral lesions in granulomatosis with polyangiitis.
abstract: To describe the clinical, pathological, serological, and radiological characteristics of juxta-vertebral masses occurring in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA).
  
  
  
  We analyzed the clinical records of patients with juxta-vertebral lesions from our GPA study cohort and reviewed the English literature for other cases of GPA with juxta-vertebral localization.
  
  
  
  Out of 74 patients in our GPA study cohort, six (8%) had juxta-vertebral lesions. We found 10 cases of juxta-vertebral GPA described in the English literature. Overall, juxta-vertebral lesions were detected at GPA onset in 11/16 (69%) patients, and preferentially occurred on the right side of the spine (12/15 patients, 80%). Fifteen patients (94%) with juxta-vertebral lesions had systemic GPA. Juxta-vertebral lesions were associated with back pain at GPA onset in 8/16 (50%) patients. In all of them juxta-vertebral lesions resolved or improved after treatment.
  
  
  
  Preference for the right-anterior side of the spine, increased18FDG uptake on PET scan, low or absent invasiveness of the surrounding tissues, and occurrence in the context of systemic disease were the main features of juxta-vertebral GPA. Symptomatic lesions showed a better response to immunosuppressive therapies.
authors: Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Unit of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, IRCCS-San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Ospedale San Raffaele, via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy. Electronic address: ramirez.giuseppealvise@hsr.it.
authors: Giuseppe A
authors: GA
authors: Ramirez
authors: Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Unit of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, IRCCS-San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Ospedale San Raffaele, via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy.
authors: Emanuel
authors: E
authors: Della-Torre
authors: Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Unit of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, IRCCS-San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Ospedale San Raffaele, via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy.
authors: Corrado
authors: C
authors: Campochiaro
authors: Unit of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, IRCCS-San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Ospedale San Raffaele, via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy.
authors: Enrica
authors: E
authors: Bozzolo
authors: Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Unit of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, IRCCS-San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Ospedale San Raffaele, via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy.
authors: Alvise
authors: A
authors: Berti
authors: Unit of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, IRCCS-San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Ospedale San Raffaele, via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy.
authors: Luisa
authors: L
authors: Praderio
authors: Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Unit of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, IRCCS-San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Ospedale San Raffaele, via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy.
authors: Lorenzo
authors: L
authors: Dagna
authors: Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy; Unit of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, IRCCS-San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Ospedale San Raffaele, via Olgettina 60, 20132 Milan, Italy.
authors: Maria Grazia
authors: MG
authors: Sabbadini
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001416:Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D014890:Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053146:Myeloblastin / Q000276:immunology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D053146:Myeloblastin
keywords: Granuloma; Granulomatosis with polyangiitis; Vertebral; Wegener