The interesting article by Catalano et al. [1] described the CT findings of sacroiliac joint (SJ) pneumatocysts in two patients and presented data from 16 other cases previously reported in the literature. According to our experience SJ pneumatocysts are not uncommon and they can incidentally be observed on pelvic CT examinations when using bone window settings.We have prospectively evaluated 369 consecutive patients (160 men and 209 women, 22±83 years of age) referred for pelvic CT with various indications, mostly related to pelvic malignancies. Patients with diseases that could involve the SJ were not included in this series. Subchondral pneumatocysts were ovserved in 76 SJs (10.3 %). They had a juxta-articular position, usually at the anterior portion of the SJ, presenting thin, uniform sclerotic margins and a diameter of 1±4 mm (Fig. 1). There was a slight predilection for location in the ilium (52/76) rather than the sacrum (24/76). The chi-squared test revealed that pneumatocysts were found more commonly in men than in women (P < 0.05) and in the elderly (> 60 years) than in younger individuals (P < 0.001). They were not seen in any patient younger than 35 years of age in our series. Communication of the cysts with the joint space is an issue of controversy in the literature [1,2]. This finding was not observed in any case in our series. In 17 cases where the presence of communication could not be excluded on the 5-mm or 10-mm CT sections, additional thin 1.5-mm sections [3] were obtained that minimize partial volume averaging; these confirmed the absence of communication (Fig. 2).Subchondral SJ pneumatocysts are not an unusual finding on pelvic CT examinations in patients without SJ disease but their clinical significance is unclear. They may be related to the normal ageing process of the SJ, since their incidence increases with advancing age.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.