[Muscular scanning in polyarthritis and rheumatology]

Atypical features were observed in 7 out of 120 cases of rheumatoid arthritis and in 3 out of 4 cases of polymyositis. A vermicular image was observed burrowing into the muscles, which head a "worm eaten" appearance. This series is too small to allow definitive conclusions, but this appearance is very different from the other features observed in muscular pathology such as myopathy or neurogenic amyotrophy. A "combed" appearance of the paravertebral muscles was also observed in 4 cases of rheumatoid pelvispondylitis. The authors also present several examples which illustrate the value of the CT scan in focal disease (lipomas, hydatid cysts, muscle angiomas).