The anatomical distribution of inflammatory and structural lesions in the spine
| Cervical spine (%) | Thoracic spine (%) | Lumbar spine (%) | Total spine (%) | |
| Inflammatory lesions | ||||
| Anterior corner | 8 (16) | 20 (41) | 25 (51) | 35 (71) |
| Posterior corner | 2 (4) | 14 (29) | 9 (18) | 21 (43) |
| Non-corner | 2 (4) | 7 (14) | 5 (10) | 10 (20) |
| Antero-lateral corner | –* | 11 (22) | 14 (29) | 20 (41) |
| Postero-lateral corner | –* | 16 (33) | 4 (8) | 19 (39) |
| Transverse processes/ribs | –* | 2 (4) | 1 (2) | 2 (4) |
| Facet joints | 3 (6) | 4 (8) | 3 (6) | 6 (12) |
| Spinous processes | 0 (0) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) | 1 (2) |
| Soft tissue | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Structural lesions | ||||
| Type | ||||
| Anterior corner | ||||
| Fat | 8 (16) | 22 (45) | 16 (33) | 27 (55) |
| Erosion | 0 (0) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) | 1 (2) |
| Bone spurs | 3 (6) | 0 (0) | 2 (4) | 3 (6) |
| Ankylosis | 1 (2) | 1 (2) | 3 (6) | 5 (10) |
| Posterior corner | ||||
| Fat | 4 (8) | 8 (16) | 11 (22) | 16 (33) |
| Erosion | 0 (0) | 1 (2) | 0 (0) | 1 (2) |
| Bone spurs | 1 (2) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 1 (2) |
| Ankylosis | 0 (0) | 3 (6) | 1 (2) | 4 (8) |
| Non-corner | ||||
| Fat | 1 (2) | 2 (4) | 6 (12) | 7 (14) |
| Erosion | 1 (2) | 4 (8) | 2 (4) | 5 (10) |
| Bone spurs | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) |
| Ankylosis | 0 (0) | 3 (6) | 1 (2) | 3 (6) |
| Antero-lateral corner | ||||
| Fat | –* | 8 (16) | 9 (18) | 14 (29) |
| Postero-lateral corner | ||||
| Fat | –* | 6 (12) | 3 (6) | 6 (12) |
| Facet joints | ||||
| Ankylosis | 5 (10) | 4 (8) | 4 (8) | 6 (12) |
Percentage of patients with a score ≥1 according to the Canada-Denmark spine MRI definitions by anatomical location and lesion category.
Cervical spine is defined here as C2/C3 to C7/T1 (6 discovertebral units (DVUs)), thoracic spine as T1/T2 to T12/L1 (12 DVUs) and lumbar spine as L1/L2 to L5/S1 (5 DVUs).
*Antero-lateral corner lesions, postero-lateral corner lesions and transverse processes/ribs were assessed only in the thoracic and lumbar spine.