[Imaging in rheumatoid arthritis]

The radiographic changes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) consist of periarticular soft tissue swelling, osteoporosis, symmetric narrowing of the joint space associated with marginal or central erosions. Conventional radiography is the basic imaging method in RA due to its high impact on differential diagnosis. MRI and bone scintigraphy are second line imaging methods in early stages of arthritis. Hypervascularized pannus can noninvasively and in a detailed way be depicted using intravenously applied Gadolinium-DTPA. Follow-up examinations of the clinical and radiographic findings are adequate in advanced stages. Additional sonography and computed tomography are supplementary methods.