Learning objectives
The optimal management of chronic inflammatory rheumatism requires tools that allow early and accurate disease diagnosis,
prediction of poor prognosis and responsive monitoring of therapeutic outcomes.
The musculoskeletal US has become a major imaging modality for rheumatologic indications and can be especially useful in the context of early and/or undifferentiated joint disease when detection of soft tissue and bone marrow abnormalities is desirable.
The high-resolution image with innovative features such as tissue harmonics power Doppler technology improves the diagnostic capability.
The purpose of our study...
Background
Rheumatoid arthritis is a predominantly joint-based disease affecting approximately 1% of the world's population.
It is a chronic systemic autoimmune disorder that primarily affects the synovium and if left untreated leads to disorganization and destruction of the joints.
Synovial hypertrophy and angioneogenesis develop in the chronic phase of the condition,
the hypertrophied synovium becoming locally invasive at the synovium-cartilage interface where it is thought to be responsible for causing bone erosions and subsequent joint destruction.
We report a retrospective study of 50 patients with rheumatoid...
Imaging findings OR Procedure details
Imaging techniques
1. Musculoskeletal Ultrasound (US):
US is a relatively cheap,
non ionsing,
dynamic form of imaging that can provide both structural,
functional and vascular information.
The us is characterized by the flexible,
repeatable and real-time imaging for clinical diagnosis,
monitoring and intervention of rheumatologic practice.
US allows the operator to make a clinical assessment of the patient at the time of imaging along with easily allowing examination of the contralateral side or additional joints.
the potential difficulties with US assessment of the joints are...
Conclusion
Rheumatoid arthritis is a potentially devastating condition affecting a large proportion of the population;
Treatment has significantly progressed in recent years and outcomes,
particularly when disease is diagnosed and treated at an early stage,
are now significantly improved.
As techniques that detect early disease,
ultrasound will become increasingly important in the diagnosis and management of this condition.
References
A.L.
TAN,
D.
MCGONAGLE.
IMAGING OF SERONEGATIVE SPONDYLOARTHRITIS.BEST PRACTICE & RESEARCH CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY.
2008,
22,1045–1059.
L.PUNZI,
M.FRIGATO.
INFLAMMATORY OSTEOARTHRITIS OF THE HAND.BEST PRACTICE&RESEARCH CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY.2010,24,301–312.
P.
BUSILACCHI.
MUSCULOSKELETAL ULTRASOUND.BEST PRACTICE & RESEARCH CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY.
2004,
18,813–826.
FREDRICK JOSHUA.
ULTRASOUND APPLICATIONS FOR THE PRACTICING RHEUMATOLOGIST.BEST PRACTICE & RESEARCH CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY.
2012,26,853–867.
F.JOSHUA.
POWER DOPPLER ULTRASOUND IN MUSCULOSKELETAL DISEASE.ELSEVIER INC 2006.
SEMIN ARTHRITIS RHEUM.36,99-108.
Y.K.TAN.
IMAGING IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS.BEST PRACTICE & RESEARCH CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY.
2011,25,569–584.
N.BOUTRY.
EARLY RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: A REVIEW OF MRI AND SONOGRAPHIC FINDINGS.
AJR...