¹⁸F-sodium fluoride PET/CT as a complementary measure of osteoblastic disease burden in axial spondyloarthritis: a prospective exploratory study.

What was studied

This was a prospective, exploratory study of a PET scan using NaF. The scan shows bone-building activity in the sacroiliac joints. The team asked if the uptake tracks with MRI signs of inflammation and damage. In all, 43 adults with long-term low back pain were scanned. Of these, 29 had ankylosing spondylitis or the radiographic form. Another 5 had the non-radiographic form and 9 had degenerative joint disease.

What they found

Joint uptake on PET tracked with MRI scores for inflammation and structural damage. The correlations were 0.629 and 0.606. Both links held after adjusting for each other. Median uptake was 14.7 in ankylosing spondylitis. It was 5.5 in the non-radiographic form and 5.7 in joint disease. Uptake looked positive on sight in 23/29 patients with ankylosing spondylitis. This included 10/16 without marrow edema on MRI. No patient with ankylosing spondylitis had edema without raised uptake.

What it means for patients

The authors said joint uptake tracked with both MRI inflammation and structural burden. This held for patients without active inflammation on MRI. They said uptake merits more study. It could add a scan measure of bone-building disease burden.

Why it is not certain yet

The authors said all thresholds need outside validation. This was an exploratory study. The non-radiographic group had only 5 people. Uptake in other joints did not separate the groups.

Source

¹⁸F-sodium fluoride PET/CT as a complementary measure of osteoblastic disease burden in axial spondyloarthritis: a prospective exploratory study.

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