Tsuyoshi Suga, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Yuji Watanabe MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yoshiki Amoh, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Jun Saegusa MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Masako Nagayama MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Akira Okumura, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yoshihiro Dodo, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kazushige Oda, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Shingo Koyama, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Kohya Nakatani, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Rika Yoshida MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Mina Okuizumi MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Shinsaku Yata, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Makoto Obara, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Marc van Cauteren, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

et al, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic disease affecting approximately 0.5-1.0% of the adult population. The therapeutic strategy has been changing and the early diagnosis of RA is important to start treatment of patients with robust medical care as early as possible. However, it is difficult to accurately diagnose the early RA because of a broad spectrum of disease manifestation. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether microscopic MR imaging would give detailed information about synovial thickening of metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints of hand fingers.

This study included 30 patients (21 female, 9 male) suspected of having early RA. Microscopic MR imaging was performed using 47mm-diameter-sized surface coil which was placed on fingers with arthralgia. Total 53 joints (45 PIP, 8 MP joints) were examined. Transaxial and coronal 3D T1-FFE, T2-TSE and contrast–enhanced 3D T1-FFE images were obtained with fat suppression. The MR criteria used for the early diagnosis were irregular and nodular thickening of synovia surrounding joints and tendon with heterogeneous T2-signal intensity and marked contrast enhancement.

With the diagnostic sriteria of Americal College of Rheumatology, 21 patents were diagnosed as RA, and 9 patients included osteoarthrosis, mixed connective tissue disease, juvenile RA and others. The sensitivity and specificity of MR findings of synovia for RA diagnosis included 100% and 23% for diffuse synovial thickening, 37% and 77% for irregular synovial thickening, 30% and 92.3% for irregular nodular synovial thickening and bone erosion as well, respectively.

Microscopic MR imaging gives detailed information about irregular synovial thickening and tiny bone erosion, which will allow for early diagnosis of RA.

Suga, T, Watanabe, Y, Amoh, Y, Saegusa, J, Nagayama, M, Okumura, A, Dodo, Y, Oda, K, Koyama, S, Nakatani, K, Yoshida, R, Okuizumi, M, Yata, S, Obara, M, Cauteren, M, et al, , Early Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Microscopic MR Imaging of the Fingers.  Radiological Society of North America 2005 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, November 27 - December 2, 2005 ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2005/4415763.html