The value of MRI in the classification of Andersson lesions in ankylosing spondylitis

ZHANG Heng; CUI Jianing; WANG Ping; QIAN Zhanhua; YE Wei; ZHAN Huili; LI Yaxiong; BAI Rongjie

doi:10.19300/j.2024.L21487

Abstract：Objective To explore the classification of Andersson lesions in ankylosing spondylitis(AS)using MRI and analyze the vertebral units involved in different classifications,providing imaging evidence for the early diagnosis and treatment of AS.Methods All of 77 patients with ankylosing spondylitis who underwent whole spinal MRI were retrospectively included,with 69 males and 8 females,and an average age of 44.0±12.2 years.General clinical data and whole-spine MRI images of the patients were collected.Two physicians analyzed the MRI characteristics of Andersson lesions and the involved vertebral units.According to Kim's classification,the lesions were classified into types Ⅰ+Ⅴ.The Kappa test was used to analyze the consistency between the two physicians in classifying Andersson lesions.Results The consistency between the two physicians in diagnosing and classifying Andersson lesions was good(κ=0.694,P＜0.001).A total of 229 vertebral units were involved in Andersson lesions,with 208 vertebral units showing only one type of lesion.Types Ⅰ-V Andersson lesions involved 30(13.1％),57(24.9％),13(5.7％),85(37.1％),and 23(10.0％)vertebral units,respectively.Twenty-one vertebral units had two types of lesions simultaneously,with 18 units being type Ⅰ+Ⅱ,1 unit type Ⅱ+Ⅲ,and 2 units type Ⅰ+Ⅲ.Conclusion MRI can clearly display Andersson lesions in ankylosing spondylitis and can be used to classify them,which is of great value for the early diagnosis and treatment plans for AS.