Destructive spondyloarthropathy in hemodialysis patients

A wide variety of musculoskeletal abnormalities may be seen in patients with chronic renal failure. Recently a destructive spondyloarthropathy has been described in patients undergoing hemodialysis. The characteristic features include marked disk space narrowing associated with vertebral end-plate erosion and sclerosis, without significant osteophyte formation. Ten patients with changes of destructive spondyloarthropathy involving the cervical or lumbar spine are presented in this exhibit. The appearance on plain radiographs, multiplanar tomography, CT and MR imaging is discussed. The importance of recognizing these changes as un unusual manifestation of chronic renal failure and their differentiation from infection are stressed