Fig. 3.

Conventional radiography, MRI-STIR, MRI-T1 of sacroiliac joints, and a diagnostic scale for patient A

A 55-year-old male patient referred by an ophthalmologist because of an episode of acute anterior uveitis and inflammatory back pain of intermittent intensity for about 15 to 20 years. HLA-B27 is positive, CRP is normal. In addition to some suspicious radiographic changes, MRI of sacroiliac joints showed definite active inflammatory and structural changes compatible with SpA. A diagnosis of axial SpA was made. See the article text for further details. SpA: spondyloarthritis; STIR: short tau inversion recovery.