Summary
The aim of this study was to evaluate magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the wrist of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. MRI and plain X-ray of the wrists were performed in 15 patients with RA, 7 patients with another chronic inflammatory joint disease (CIJD), and 10 control subjects. Patients had only minor changes on plain X-ray. Coronal T1 weighted spin echo sequences were performed before and after an intravenous pulse of gadolinium (GD). Contiguous 3 mm thick slices were obtained. Synovitis was frequently objectivized in the two groups of patients. MRI detected far more erosions and central bone geodes than plain X-ray. Geodes were frequent among controls while cortical bone erosions were frequent in patients. Most of the erosions were enhanced after GD injection in the RA patients but not in the 2 other groups. Thus MRI is not only useful in diagnosing inflammatory changes of the wrist but also in distinguishing early stage RA from other CIJD.
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Tonolli-Serabian, I., Poet, J.L., Dufour, M. et al. Magneic resonance imaging of the wrist in rheumatoid arthritis: Comparison with other inflammatory joint diseases and control subjects. Clin Rheumatol 15, 137–142 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02230330
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02230330