What Defines an MRI Considered Indicative of Axial Spondyloarthritis in the Sacroiliac Joints: A Systematic Literature Review.
Bittar M · 2026 · The Journal of rheumatology
Reading the original? How to read a paper.
What this paper found
Reviewing 30 studies, the authors found the usual MRI sign of axial spondyloarthritis, bone marrow swelling in the sacroiliac joints, also shows up in healthy people and women after childbirth, while erosion and fat change next to that swelling are far more specific. MRI definitions are being tightened, which should mean fewer wrong diagnoses in both directions.
Why this is on the map
The evidence base behind the coming revision of what counts as a positive MRI; relevant to anyone told their scan was borderline.
On the map under this thread
DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.2026-0011 · opens in a new tab. The full paper is on the publisher’s site, not here.
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