Axial Spondyloarthritis and Diagnostic Challenges: Over-diagnosis, Misdiagnosis, and Under-diagnosis

Abstract

Purpose of review: This article aims to review the challenges in axial spondyloarthritis diagnosis and identify the possible contributing factors.

Recent findings: The inability to reach an accurate diagnosis in a timely fashion can lead to treatment delays and worse disease outcomes. The lack of validated diagnostic criteria and the misuse of the currently available classification criteria could be contributing. There is also significant inter-reader variability in interpreting images, and the radiologic definitions of axial spondyloarthritis continue to be re-defined to improve their positive predictive value. The role of inflammatory back pain features, serologic biomarkers, genetics, and their diagnostic contribution to axial spondyloarthritis continues to be investigated. There is still a significant amount of delay in the diagnosis of axial spondyloarthritis. Appreciating the factors that contribute to this delay is of utmost importance to close the gap. It is similarly important to recognize other conditions that may present with symptoms that mimic axial spondyloarthritis so that misdiagnosis and wrong treatment can be avoided.

Keywords: Ankylosing spondylitis; Axial spondyloarthritis; Differential diagnosis; Low-dose CT; MRI; Mimics; Radiography.