Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41494736›Full record

ArticleRMD open2026

Prevalence and anatomical distribution of MRI lesions in axSpA and differences between patients with and without peripheral involvement: results from the ASAS classification cohort.

Bayram Farisogullari, Stephanie Wichuk, Xenofon Baraliakos, Iris Eshed, Manouk de Hooge, Robert Gw Lambert, Mikkel Østergaard, Susanne J Pedersen, Ulrich Weber, Walter P Maksymowych and 1 more

Abstract read
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Article in RMD open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Bayram FarisogullariDivision of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.ORCID 0000-0002-9394-1103
Stephanie WichukDepartment of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Xenofon BaraliakosRheumazentrum Ruhrgebiet Herne, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany.
Iris EshedDepartment of Diagnostic Imaging, Sheba Medical Centre, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.ORCID 0000-0002-4655-9606
Manouk de HoogeDepartment of Rheumatology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.ORCID 0000-0002-0652-9808
Robert Gw LambertDepartment of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-0305-3290
Mikkel ØstergaardCopenhagen Centre for Arthritis Research, Rigshospitalet Centre for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Glostrup, Denmark.ORCID 0000-0003-3690-467X
Susanne J PedersenCopenhagen Centre for Arthritis Research, Rigshospitalet Centre for Rheumatology and Spine Diseases, Glostrup, Denmark.
Ulrich WeberDepartment of Rheumatology, Medical Centre ZeniT, Schaffhausen, Switzerland.ORCID 0000-0001-6701-670X
Walter P MaksymowychDepartment of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Pedro M MachadoDepartment of Neuromuscular Diseases, University College London, London, UK p.machado@ucl.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0002-8411-7972

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo evaluate the prevalence and anatomical distribution of inflammatory and structural MRI lesions in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and compare these between patients with isolated axial involvement and those with peripheral manifestations.

methodsData from the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) Classification Cohort were analysed. Peripheral involvement was defined as past or current arthritis/dactylitis/enthesitis. Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) and spinal MRI lesions typical of axSpA were classified per ASAS lesion definitions and centrally read with multi-reader majority agreement (lesion present if called by the majority; SIJ ≥4/7, spine ≥5/9 readers). Comparisons between patients with and without peripheral manifestations were made.

resultsAmong 199 axSpA patients with SIJ MRI, 67 also had spinal MRI. Subchondral SIJ bone marrow oedema (BMO) was observed in 49%, without quadrant preference or subgroup differences. Other SIJ inflammatory lesions ranged from 4%-18%. Erosions (35%) and fat lesions (22%) were the most frequent structural lesions. In the spine, BMO, fat lesions and syndesmophytes/ankylosis were detected in 38%, 25% and 5%, respectively, with similar subgroup frequencies. Among 40 patients with both SIJ and whole spine MRI, inflammatory lesions were observed in both sites in 18%, SIJ only in 38%, and spine only in 20%. Structural lesions occurred in both sites in 19%, SIJ only in 30%, and spine only in 5%, with no subgroup differences.

conclusionThe prevalence and anatomical distribution of ASAS-defined MRI lesions was similar across axSpA subgroups. Notably, 20% exhibited spine-only inflammation, suggesting potential added diagnostic and monitoring value of spinal MRI, warranting further study.

Indexed as

Axial SpondyloarthritisMagnetic Resonance ImagingSacroiliac JointAdultCohort StudiesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceSpineAxial SpondyloarthritisInflammationMagnetic Resonance ImagingSpondylitis, Ankylosing

Identifiers

PMID41494736
PMCPMC12778281

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