The enthesitis causing Romanus lesions specifically targets the insertion point of which structure onto the vertebral body?
Answer
Annulus fibrosus
The inflammatory cascade characterizing Ankylosing Spondylitis initiates structural damage by targeting specific biomechanical junctions susceptible to immunological attack. For the Romanus lesion, the inflammation, or enthesitis, is precisely focused at the enthesis located at the vertebral margins. This interface is the point where the tough, fibrous outer layer of the intervertebral disc, known as the annulus fibrosus, inserts directly into the adjacent vertebral bone, making this vulnerable attachment site the precursor location for the initial erosive change.

Related Questions
What specific inflammatory process drives the bony changes resulting in a Romanus lesion?What initial destructive effect on the bone characterizes the nascent stage of a Romanus lesion?What established lesion results from the maturation and extensive repair of an initial Romanus lesion?In which spinal regions are Romanus lesions most frequently identified radiologically?What early finding detectable by MRI reflects the ongoing inflammation in an active Romanus lesion?A key feature distinguishing a Romanus lesion is its dual nature showing both damage and what reparative sign?How does the primary destruction pattern in typical vertebral osteomyelitis contrast with that of a Romanus lesion?The enthesitis causing Romanus lesions specifically targets the insertion point of which structure onto the vertebral body?Identifying a Romanus lesion signals the initiation of the pathological process leading toward what advanced AS spinal feature?On radiographic images, what feature is often what ultimately makes an established Romanus lesion definitively identifiable?