Normal blood sedimentation can not rule out ankylosing spondylitis, but also based on CT imaging, whether HLA-B27 is positive, and physical examination results to make a comprehensive judgment.
Ankylosing spondylitis is a chronic inflammatory disease involving the spine and sacroiliac joints, and is a type of rheumatic disease. It mostly begins with destruction of the sacroiliac joint surfaces and gradually progresses up the spine. When the patient is diagnosed, CT may reveal destruction of the sacroiliac joint surfaces, and most patients have HLA-B27 positivity and elevated C-reactive protein.
If a patient has sacroiliac arthritis on CT and is HLA-B27 positive, the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis can be confirmed even if the blood sedimentation is normal. Therefore, the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis cannot be confirmed or excluded by blood sedimentation alone, but should be based on a combination of imaging and other tests.
It is recommended that patients with suspected ankylosing spondylitis should go to a regular hospital and under the guidance of the doctor, complete the relevant examinations to confirm the diagnosis and treatment.