{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,2]],"date-time":"2026-09-02T15:18:00Z","timestamp":1788362280464,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":24,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"17","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,2]],"date-time":"2026-09-02T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1788307200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["J. Clin. Med.","JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objective: International recommendations exist for MRI evaluation of sacroiliac joints (SIJs) in adult spondylarthritis (SpA) and other joints in juvenile (J)SpA. However, consensus recommendations for MRI acquisition protocols for SIJs in JSpA are lacking. Our survey gathered information on current imaging practices on SIJ MRI and expert opinions about imaging protocols. Methods: A survey was sent to an international group of pediatric radiologists and rheumatologists. Participants were asked about practices regarding sequences\/planes, use of contrast, and preferred sequences\/planes for evaluating individual lesions. Results: There were 38 unique survey respondents (North America, n = 19; South America, n = 1; Europe, n = 12; Asia, n = 2; Australia, n = 2; unknown = 2) from 32 institutions with a median of 15 (range 3\u201332) years of experience. Most (93%) institutions use the 2nd sacral vertebral body posterior cortex to plan coronal oblique sequences; most perform these as non-fat-suppressed T1W and fluid-sensitive sequences for evaluation of damage and inflammation, respectively. Among the 84% of institutions performing small field-of-view imaging, all include a coronal oblique plane, and 78% also do an axial oblique plane. Of all institutions, 22% utilize gradient echo (GRE) sequences. Most respondents (79%) did not consider contrast necessary for evaluating SIJs. Conclusions: Areas of agreement for a consensus MRI protocol for SIJ evaluation in JSpA include using a non-contrast-enhanced protocol and the S2 vertebral body posterior cortex to plan coronal oblique sequences. Further international consensus is required concerning the optimal scan plane to prescribe for axial sequences and the incorporation of an erosion-specific sequence into standard protocols.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm15176816","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,2]],"date-time":"2026-09-02T14:35:29Z","timestamp":1788359729000},"page":"6816","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["International Imaging Practices for Sacroiliac Joint MRI Acquisition Protocols in Patients with Juvenile Spondylarthritis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5785-0861","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Arthur B.","family":"Meyers","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Cincinnati Children\u2019s Hospital Medical Center, Department of Radiology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mirkamal","family":"Tolend","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Diagnostic & Interventional Radiology, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada"},{"name":"Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"methodology","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"software","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"validation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"formal-analysis","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"investigation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"data-curation","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-original-draft","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"visualization","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Walter P.","family":"Maksymowych","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada"},{"name":"CARE Arthritis, Edmonton, AB T6G 2B7, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8766-965X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rawan","family":"Hafiz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia"},{"name":"Department of Radiology, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah 22252, Saudi Arabia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"conceptualization","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"},{"role":"project-administration","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Tarimobo M.","family":"Otobo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Joint Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5T 1W7, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5314-2297","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jacob L.","family":"Jaremko","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Robert G. W.","family":"Lambert","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T4, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0244-0168","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Nele","family":"Herregods","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Marion A. J.","family":"van Rossum","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Pediatrics, Emma Children\u2019s Hospital, Academic Medical Center, 1105 Amsterdam, The Netherlands"},{"name":"Amsterdam Rheumatology and Immunology Center, 1007 Amsterdam, The Netherlands"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jennifer","family":"Stimec","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Diagnostic & Interventional Radiology, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada"},{"name":"Department of Medical Imaging, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 0A4, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5075-4474","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Simone","family":"Appenzeller","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Autoimmunity Lab, School of Medical Science, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas 13083-887, Brazil"},{"name":"Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Traumatology, School of Medical Science, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas 13083-894, Brazil"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Shirley","family":"Tse","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Paediatrics, Division of Rheumatology, The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3478-5665","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Philip G.","family":"Conaghan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK"},{"name":"NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds LS7 4SA, UK"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Lennart","family":"Jans","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, 9000 Ghent, Belgium"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3472-2469","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"John A.","family":"Carrino","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Radiology and Imaging, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY 10021, USA"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"},{"role":"writing-review-editing","vocabulary":"credit"}]},{"given":"Eva","family":"Kirkhus","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, Oslo University Hospital, Nydalen, P.O. 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Arthritis Rheum."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5237","DOI":"10.1007\/s00330-020-06807-8","article-title":"Imaging Assessment of Children Presenting with Suspected or Known Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: ESSR-ESPR Points to Consider","volume":"30","author":"Hemke","year":"2020","journal-title":"Eur. Radiol."},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5773","DOI":"10.1007\/s00330-024-10653-3","article-title":"ESR Essentials: Imaging of Sacroiliitis-Practice Recommendations by ESSR","volume":"34","author":"Vereecke","year":"2024","journal-title":"Eur. Radiol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1628","DOI":"10.1136\/ard-2024-225882","article-title":"Development of International Consensus on a Standardised Image Acquisition Protocol for Diagnostic Evaluation of the Sacroiliac Joints by MRI: An ASAS-SPARTAN Collaboration","volume":"83","author":"Lambert","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ann. Rheum. 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