MR imaging assessment of clinical problems in rheumatoid arthritis

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José A Narváez1, Javier Narváez, Yolanda Roca

  • 1Department of CT and MR Imaging, Institut de Diagnòstic per la Imatge, Hospital Duran i Reynals, Ciutat Sanitària i Universitària de Bellvitge, Autovía de Castelldefels, km 2'7, 08907 L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain. jnarvaez@csub.scs.es

European Radiology
|July 12, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) aids in diagnosing early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and assessing disease activity. This review explores MRI

Area of Science:

  • Radiology
  • Rheumatology
  • Medical Imaging

Background:

  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is recognized for its utility in diagnosing early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
  • Current clinical management of RA often underutilizes MRI for diagnosis and disease activity assessment.
  • There is a need to integrate advanced imaging techniques into routine RA care.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current role of MRI in the everyday clinical management of patients with RA.
  • To highlight the diagnostic and assessment capabilities of MRI in RA.
  • To discuss the integration of MRI into routine RA patient care.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on MRI applications in rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Analysis of MRI's effectiveness in evaluating articular and para-articular changes.
  • Description of clinical scenarios where MRI provides crucial information.

Main Results:

  • MRI is valuable for assessing articular and para-articular changes, particularly in the craniocervical region and temporomandibular joint.
  • MRI effectively identifies extra-articular manifestations like tenosynovitis, "rice-bodies" bursitis, and Baker's cyst rupture.
  • The review details MRI's utility in evaluating RA complications such as tendinous rupture, osteonecrosis, stress fractures, and septic arthritis/osteomyelitis.

Conclusions:

  • MRI plays a significant role in the diagnosis and management of rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Integrating MRI into routine clinical practice can improve patient outcomes.
  • Further adoption of MRI in RA management is recommended for comprehensive patient care.

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