[Xeroradiographic study of rheumatoid arthritis hand (author's transl)]

The hands of 50 rheumatoid arthritis patients and 32 non-arthritis controls were studied with conventional x-ray and xeroradiography. The xeroradiograph and radiograph of each patient were compared, assessing the degree of subperiosteal erosion, loss of joint space, soft tissue thickening and joint deformity. Each metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joint alterations were scored on a 0-3 scale. Comparison between xeroradiographic and radiographic techniques showed that osteoporosis was better documented on conventional x-ray while loss of joint space and synovial thickening on xeroradiographs. In conclusion, conventional x-ray study of rheumatoid arthritis hand is comparable with xeroradiographic one, even if not substitutable.