COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY OF THE SACROILIAC JOINTS IN FOUR PATIENTS WITH BEHCÇET'S SYNDROME-CONFIRMATION OF SACROILIITIS

In order to reduce the subjective factor in evaluating sacroiliac joint radiographs we further evaluated changes seen on standard plain films of patients suffering from Behçet's syndrome (BS) by using computed tomography (CT). Sacroiliac joint films of 20 consecutive patients with BS were mixed with those of 20 consecutive control patients and read blindly and independently by two observers. Six patients with BS met the New York criteria for sacroiliitis. Of the control patients, one had monolateral grade 1 sacroiliitis and two revealed findings consistent with osteitis condensans ilii. CT confirmed the diagnosis of sacroiliitis in patients with BS showing a high degree in at least one joint. The results of the present study suggest that the use of CT for BS patients showing sacroiliac joint changes on pelvic plain films may limit the confusion which exists about this finding in BS.