Analysis of the sacroiliac joint vacuum phenomenon in paediatric patients.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the incidence of the sacroiliac joint vacuum phenomenon (SIJ VP) in paediatric patients and the relationship between the presence of VP and clinical factors such as age, sex and body mass index (BMI).


METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed clinical data and imaging findings of 60 patients who underwent abdominopelvic CT (AP CT) between January and June 2015. Patients were divided into VP group and non-VP group based on the presence/absence of VP, and the groups were compared. In addition, other degenerative changes in the SIJ were recorded.


RESULTS
The SIJ VP was detected in 19 (31.6%) patients. There were no significant differences in sex distribution between VP and non-VP groups (p = 0.781). The age of the VP group was significantly higher than that of the non-VP group (p < 0.001). After adjusting the BMI for age, there was no significant association between high BMI and the presence of SIJ VP (p = 0.326). Other degenerative changes were not noted in any of the patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The SIJ VP is not an uncommon finding in paediatric patients. The prevalence of SIJ VP in paediatric patients is similar to its prevalence in adults. The SIJ VP is related to patient age, but not to sex or BMI in children and young adolescents. Advances in knowledge: AP CT can provide information about the SIJ, if it is required to assess the SIJ in paediatric patients.
1 Department of Radiology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea.
Sun-Kyoung
SK
You
1 Department of Radiology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea.
Hyo-Jin
HJ
Lee
1 Department of Radiology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea.
Jeong-Eun
JE
Lee
1 Department of Radiology, Chungnam National University Hospital, Daejeon, South Korea.|2 Department of Radiology, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.
Jongchul
J
Kim
3 Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University Medical Center, Daegu, South Korea.
So-Mi
SM
Lee
4 Department of Radiology, Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
Hyun-Hae
HH
Cho
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012446:Sacroiliac Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014618:Vacuum