Skeletal radiology
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Comparative Study
Marginal erosive discovertebral "Romanus" lesions in ankylosing spondylitis demonstrated by contrast enhanced Gd-DTPA magnetic resonance imaging.
To assess the value of Gd-DTPA magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the demonstration of marginal destructive discovertebral Romanus lesions in ankylosing spondylitis. ⋯ Gd-DTPA MR imaging demonstrates a variable signal pattern and degree of contrast enhancement which may reflect the evolutionary stages of discovertebral enthesitis in ankylosing spondylitis. MR imaging may identify early erosive changes in radiographically normal vertebra. The role of MR imaging needs further investigation.