Your report should say what protocol was used. Does it mention either T2 or STIR? If not, it may not be sufficient to diagnose SpA.
October 22
That's a really important question. When spondylitis isn't listed as a clinical concern, the radiologist reading your scans may not be specifically looking for the hallmark signs of SpA — like sacroiliitis or early inflammatory changes in the spine and sacroiliac joints.
Radiologists tailor their reports based on the Show Full Answer
That's a really important question. When spondylitis isn't listed as a clinical concern, the radiologist reading your scans may not be specifically looking for the hallmark signs of SpA — like sacroiliitis or early inflammatory changes in the spine and sacroiliac joints.
Radiologists tailor their reports based on the clinical information provided. Without SpA as a consideration, subtle but significant findings could be attributed to other causes, like general wear and tear or aging, rather than inflammatory disease. Here's why this matters specifically for your imaging types:
- MRI (thoracic/lumbar): MRI is excellent at detecting early soft tissue and bone inflammation. However, without SpA flagged, inflammatory changes could be overlooked or misattributed.
- CT (pelvis/abdomen): CT is strong at detecting bone changes and joint fusion, but it's less effective at picking up early soft tissue inflammation typical of SpA.
The best step would be to speak with your rheumatologist and ask them to either provide clinical context to the radiologist or request a re-read of the images with spondylitis specifically noted as a concern. Your rheumatologist can also review the images themselves with SpA in mind.
October 12
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