Early-stage rheumatoid arthritis: diagnostic accuracy of MR imaging

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Early-stage rheumatoid arthritis: diagnostic accuracy of MR imaging

H Sugimoto, A Takeda, J Masuyama and M Furuse

Department of Radiology, Jichi Medical School, Japan.

PURPOSE: To investigate the role of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in

diagnosing early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Twenty patients (three men, 17 women; age range, 21-72 years) with

clinically and radiologically proved RA underwent evaluation to define

an MR imaging criterion for diagnosing synovial inflammation due to RA.

Twenty-seven patients (16 with RA, 11 without RA [control patients];

three men, 24 women; age range, 19-75 years) suspected to have early RA

but without radiographic abnormalities underwent evaluation to test the

accuracy of using the criterion to diagnose RA. In each patient,

coronal, fat-suppressed, and gadolinium contrast material-enhanced, T1-

weighted images of both hands were obtained. RESULTS: The MR imaging

criterion was periarticular contrast material enhancement of the wrists

or the metacarpophalangeal and/or proximal interphalangeal joints in

both hands. In the diagnosis of early RA, sensitivity and negative

predictive value were both 100%, specificity was 73%, and accuracy was

89%. CONCLUSION: MR imaging is extremely useful in diagnosing early RA.

http://radiology.rsnajnls.org/cgi/content/abstract/198/1/185