Arthritis and rheumatism
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Aug 2011
Randomized Controlled TrialFocal fat lesions at vertebral corners on magnetic resonance imaging predict the development of new syndesmophytes in ankylosing spondylitis.
Focal fat infiltration is frequently visible on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and likely reflects postinflammatory tissue metaplasia. To support the concept of coupling between inflammation and new bone formation, we tested the hypothesis that focal fat infiltration at a vertebral corner is more likely to evolve into a de novo syndesmophyte. ⋯ Our data lend support to the hypothesis that inflammatory lesions evolve into new bone through a process of tissue metaplasia that includes fat infiltration.