scholarly journals Axial Spondyloarthritis: Dual-Energy Virtual Noncalcium CT in the Detection of Bone Marrow Edema in the Sacroiliac Joints

Radiology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 290 (1) ◽  
pp. 157-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haijun Wu ◽  
Guangfeng Zhang ◽  
Lei Shi ◽  
Xiuhui Li ◽  
Min Chen ◽  
...  
Diagnostics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 1156
Author(s):  
Kang Hee Lee ◽  
Sang Tae Choi ◽  
Guen Young Lee ◽  
You Jung Ha ◽  
Sang-Il Choi

Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the sacroiliac joints. In this study, we develop a method for detecting bone marrow edema by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the sacroiliac joints and a deep-learning network. A total of 815 MR images of the sacroiliac joints were obtained from 60 patients diagnosed with axSpA and 19 healthy subjects. Gadolinium-enhanced fat-suppressed T1-weighted oblique coronal images were used for deep learning. Active sacroiliitis was defined as bone marrow edema, and the following processes were performed: setting the region of interest (ROI) and normalizing it to a size suitable for input to a deep-learning network, determining bone marrow edema using a convolutional-neural-network-based deep-learning network for individual MR images, and determining sacroiliac arthritis in subject examinations based on the classification results of individual MR images. About 70% of the patients and normal subjects were randomly selected for the training dataset, and the remaining 30% formed the test dataset. This process was repeated five times to calculate the average classification rate of the five-fold sets. The gradient-weighted class activation mapping method was used to validate the classification results. In the performance analysis of the ResNet18-based classification network for individual MR images, use of the ROI showed excellent detection performance of bone marrow edema with 93.55 ± 2.19% accuracy, 92.87 ± 1.27% recall, and 94.69 ± 3.03% precision. The overall performance was additionally improved using a median filter to reflect the context information. Finally, active sacroiliitis was diagnosed in individual subjects with 96.06 ± 2.83% accuracy, 100% recall, and 94.84 ± 3.73% precision. This is a pilot study to diagnose bone marrow edema by deep learning based on MR images, and the results suggest that MR analysis using deep learning can be a useful complementary means for clinicians to diagnose bone marrow edema.


2013 ◽  
Vol 72 (Suppl 3) ◽  
pp. A657.1-A657 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Van Praet ◽  
L. Jans ◽  
F. Van den Bosch ◽  
P. Jacques ◽  
P. Carron ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 211 (6) ◽  
pp. 1306-1312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph A. Agten ◽  
Veronika Zubler ◽  
Marco Zanetti ◽  
Christoph A. Binkert ◽  
Orpheus Kolokythas ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 497.1-498
Author(s):  
M. Carotti ◽  
F. Salaffi ◽  
P. Piccinni ◽  
M. DI Carlo ◽  
S. Farah ◽  
...  

Background:An important applications of the Dual energy computed tomography DECT in the field of musculoskeletal radiology is the detection of bone marrow edema (BME), using a post-processing software to remove calcium in trabecular bone by using a “virtual non-calcium (VNCa)” subtraction process DECT have been successfully employed in the evaluation of the extent of BME in patients with sacroiliitis (1)Objectives:The aims of this study were i)to evaluate the discriminating capacity of DECT versus MRI in the detection of BME of the sacroiliac joints in patients with axial-SpA and to define the optimal cutoff; ii) to define of inter-observer agreement between radiologistsMethods:All patients underwent a pelvic DECT examination, within 30 days of the MRI imaging, (Somatom Force; Siemens Healthineers, Enlangen, Germany). Each exam was evaluated by two operators: an experienced radiologist and a radiologist in training. The dedicated software also allows the precise calculation of the attenuation values in the region of interest (ROI). On the reformatted color-coded dual-energy virtual non-calcium images bone marrow signal is depicted in green and corresponding to high signal intensity on T2-weighted fat suppression MR images (Fig. 1). With the consent of the two operators, three ROIs were manually positioned for each side of the sacroiliac joints in the subchondral region of the proximal, middle and distal thirds of each joint head, respectively. The interobserver agreement analysis was carried out in the semi-quantitative evaluation of the scores assigned in CT. The accuracy of DECT for the detection of BME compared to MRI was analyzed using the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curve methodFigure 1.Patient with SpA A. Short tau inversion recovery MR image demonstrating extensive BME in both iliac and sacral subchondral bone, indicating active sacroiliitis. B. CT Semicoronal multiplanar reformatted grayscale image shows signs of structural change. C. Semicoronal multiplanar reformatted color-coded dual-energyVNCaimage reveals bone marrow signal involving both sacroliliac joints, corresponds toBMEon the MR imageResults:56 axial-SpA patients have been evaluated, 30 males and 26 females, a mean age of 48.6 ± 12.3 years, a mean disease duration of 5.5 ± 2.9 years, a mean C-reactive protein level of 3.0 ± 2.5 mg/dl. The inter-rater agreement of readers showed a high statistical significance greater than 0.80, in particular the weighted kappa is 0.815, with a standard error of 0.04 and a 95% variability coefficient between 0.73 and 0.89. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive likelihood ratio in the identification of BME at DECT were 95.8%, 83.3% and 6.67, respectively. The differences in mean CT number (HU) among the four levels of edema category were significant (p<0.0001). The AUC was 0.905 in the differentiation of the presence of BME from no edema (Fig. 2). A cutoff value of –14.8 HU yielded overall sensitivity of 82.86% and specificity of 90.48%, with an LR+ of 8.70, in the detection of BMEFigure 2.Graph shows ROC curves from CT numbers (in Hounsfield units) derived from DECT images in the detection of sacroiliitis with and without BME. AUC was 0.905Conclusion:We confirm the potential of DECT for the detection of BME of the sacroiliac joints in patients affected by SpA. This new method appears to be very useful, not only in the diagnostic phase, but also for the monitoring of patients.References:[1]Carotti M, Salaffi F, Beci G, Giovagnoni A. The application of dual-energy computed tomography in the diagnosis of musculoskeletal disorders: a review of current concepts and applications. Radiol Med. 2019;124(11):1175-1183.Disclosure of Interests:None declared


Author(s):  
Christoph Germann ◽  
Daniela Kroismayr ◽  
Florian Brunner ◽  
Christian W. A. Pfirrmann ◽  
Reto Sutter ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective To investigate long-term effects of pregnancy/childbirth on bone marrow edema (BME) and subchondral sclerosis of sacroiliac joints (SIJ) in comparison to MRI changes caused by spondyloarthritis (SpA) and assess the influence of birth method and number of children on SIJ-MRI changes. Materials and methods This is a retrospective cohort study with 349 women (mean age 47 ± 14 years) suffering low back pain. Four subgroups were formed based on SpA diagnosis and childbirth (CB) history. Two musculoskeletal radiologists scored the presence of BME and sclerosis on SIJ-MRI using the Berlin method. Further, an 11-point “global assessment score” representing the overall confidence of SpA diagnosis based on MRI was evaluated in addition to the ASAS (Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society) criterion of “positive MRI” for sacroiliitis. Results CB did not correlate with BME score (p = 0.38), whereas SpA diagnosis was associated with a higher BME score (r = 0.31, p < 0.001). Both CB (r = 0.21, p < 0.001) and SpA diagnosis (r = 0.33, p < 0.001) were correlated with a higher sclerosis score. CB was not associated with a higher confidence level in diagnosing SpA based on MRI (p = 0.07), whereas SpA diagnosis was associated with a higher score (r = 0.61, p < 0.001). Both CB (phi = 0.13, p = 0.02) and SpA diagnosis (phi = 0.23, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with a positive ASAS criterion for sacroiliitis. In non-SpA patients with CB, number of children (p = 0.001) was an independent predictor of sclerosis score, while birth method yielded no significant effect (p = 0.75). Conclusion Pregnancy/CB has no impact on long-term BME on SIJ, however, may cause long-term subchondral sclerosis—similar to SpA-associated sclerosis. Number of children is positively correlated with SIJ sclerosis. Birth method yields no effect on SIJ sclerosis.


2020 ◽  
Vol 79 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1839.1-1839
Author(s):  
F. Ladeb ◽  
D. Ben Nessib ◽  
M. Bouaziz ◽  
W. Hamdi ◽  
E. Labbene ◽  
...  

Background:In view of the limited accuracy of clinical evaluation to recognize sacroiliitis, several imaging techniques such as conventional radiographs, scintigraphy, ultrasound (US), computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been used to examine the sacroiliac joints (SIJ).Objectives:The aim of this study was to assess the performance of MRI for detecting sacroiliitis in early stages of spondyloarthritis (SpA).Methods:This cross-sectional prospective monocentric double-blind study included 57 patients consulting for symptoms suggestive of SpA during more than 3 months between February 2014 and February 2017. Patients with conventional radiograph showing a confirmed sacroiliitis (grade 3 or 4) were not included. After clinical examination and blood sampling, eligible patients underwent MRI of SIJ. MR images were interpreted by 2 experimented musculoskeletal radiologists blinded to clinical and laboratory data. Two professors in rheumatology blinded to radiologists’ conclusions, analyzed clinical data, laboratory tests, HLA typing, X-rays and MRI images and divided the patients into 2 groups: confirmed non radiographic SpA (nr-SpA) or no SpA. This classification was considered as the gold standard when analyzing the results.Results:Fifteen men and 42 women were enrolled. The mean age at inclusion was 39.75 ± 11 years [17-59]. The mean duration from the first symptom was 47 ± 39 months [6.6-180]. Forty-three patients were assessed as nr-SpA (75.4%) and 14 patients as no SpA (24.6%). Thirty-three percent of patients were HLA B27 positive. Totally 22 patients had sacroiliitis at MRI, all of them classified as confirmed nr-SpA. Among the nr-SpA group, MRI showed bone marrow edema (BME) in 34.9% of patients and erosions in 44.2% of patients. Among the patients in whom the diagnosis of SpA was excluded, MRI showed bone marrow edema (BME) in 7% of patients and erosions in 7% of patients. A statistically significant association was observed between the presence of sacroiliitis at MRI and rheumatologists’ diagnosis of SpA (p=0.001). The diagnostic value of MRI lesions is presented in the following table:Sensitivity (%)Specificity (%)Positive Predictive Value (%)Positive Predictive Value (%)BME34.992.993.731.7Erosions44.292.99535.1MRI conclusion: sacroiliitis51.210010040Conclusion:SIJ MRI had an excellent specificity for the diagnosis of SpA but a moderate sensitivity. Consequently, some patients in early stages of SpA might be missed by MRI. In addition, we found that diagnostic based solely on BME lacked sensitivity. Detection of erosions in addition to BME enhanced sensitivity (from 34.9% to 44.9%) without changing specificity. Indeed, many recent studies have pointed out the importance of considering structural lesions of SIJ in addition to inflammatory lesions [1, 2].References:[1]Weber U, Lambert RGW, Pedersen SJ, et al (2010) Assessment of structural lesions in sacroiliac joints enhances diagnostic utility of magnetic resonance imaging in early spondylarthritis. Arthritis Care Res 62:1763–1771.https://doi.org/10.1002/acr.20312[2]Weber U, Jurik AG, Lambert RGW, Maksymowych WP (2016) Imaging in Spondyloarthritis: Controversies in Recognition of Early Disease. Curr Rheumatol Rep 18:58.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11926-016-0607-7Disclosure of Interests:None declared


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