Scintigraphy of Sacroiliac Joints in Acute Anterior Uveitis

Abstract

HL-A-B27 is a transplantation antigen found in a high proportion of patients with ankylosing spondylitis. Recently, an association was shown to exist between HL-A-B27 and acute uveitis, even in the absence of ankylosing spondylitis. The HL-A antigen profile of 45 patients with acute nongranulomatous anterior uveitis was examined, and the relationship was confirmed. Using 99mtechnetium stannous pyrophosphate it was possible to demonstrate an abnormal bone scan in 19 of 30 patients studied. Such abnormalities are limited to the sacroiliac joints but are otherwise the same as those seen in overt ankylosing spondylitis. Seven of the 19 patients did not have HL-A-B27. These factors suggest that acute anterior uveitis may often represents a manifestation of a spondylitic diathesis even in the complete absence of any suggestive symptomatic or radiologic change and, in some cases, even though the antigenic marker HL-A-B27 may be absent.