Hey, Amrit:
The chances of any actual X-ray changes showing are very very low. It takes years of inflammation for the mass transfer (local bone demineralization into surrounding tissue) to show up as osteophytes.
Depending upon the length of time a specific area has been affected, perhaps we can provide some SWAG numbers and I would suggest the following:
nuclear (contrasting) bone scan--will sometimes show active inflammation long before actual damage. There is about a 60% chance of showing uptake this way and this method can identify characteristic inflammation MANY YEARS before fusion. I will suggest the same (60%) confidence interval for the following:
X-rays--ACTIVE INFLAMMATION for at least 6 years can lead to demonstrable incipient fusion.
mri--ACTIVE INFLAMMATION for at least 6 years can lead to demonstrable incipient fusion. sometimes, mri will show very severe inflammation, but a competent radiologist is required to evaluate the results.
Some people will never fuse, but experience the pain of inflammation and too often fool themselves into thinking it has become permanent or is otherwise morphing into a neurological disorder.
Some small group will notice only transient pains and will eventually become fully fused; unaware of the process.
AS is highly individualistic, and we can make some general statements about it, statistically:
MEN--fuse earlier and have very definite stages of progression.
WOMEN--fuse much later than men and may skip many "usual" stages of progression. Onset is typically later and symptoms are not as distinct as in male population.
HEALTH,
John
