Imaging in Juvenile Spondyloarthritis.
OBJECTIVE
This review aims to provide an update on the use of imaging in the assessment of juvenile spondyloarthritis (JSpA) disease manifestations.


RESULTS
Recent studies have demonstrated superior reliability and specificity of MRI for assessment of sacroiliac joint inflammation compared with radiography. The use of gadolinium contrast may not add incremental value to the assessment of inflammatory sacroiliitis. Sacroiliitis is common at diagnosis of spondyloarthritis. Inflammatory changes of the lumbar spine are not uncommon, and changes over time in the sacroiliac and apophyseal joints may not be concordant. Ultrasonography (US) in turn has been recognized as an excellent imaging technique to visualize the peripheral manifestations of JSpA. US does not only add important information to the clinical assessment but also helps to understand the complexity of the enthesis. Recognition of specific aspects in children is important though. The standardization of image acquisition as well as the establishment of the evidence base are underway. MRI and ultrasonography are recognized as increasingly important tools in the diagnosis and management of juvenile spondyloarthritis.
Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. WEISSPA@email.chop.edu.|Division of Rheumatology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA. WEISSPA@email.chop.edu.
Pamela F
PF
Weiss
Department of Radiology, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Nancy A
NA
Chauvin
University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.|Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
Johannes
J
Roth
D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011859:Radiography; D058566:Sacroiliitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D025241:Spondylarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography
Enthesitis-related arthritis; Juvenile arthritis; Magnetic resonance imaging; Spondyloarthritis; Ultrasound