title: Measurement of synovial inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis with technetium 99m labelled human polyclonal immunoglobulin G.
abstract: The ability of technetium 99m labelled nonspecific, polyclonal human immunoglobulin G (99mTc-IgG) scintigraphy to depict and quantify synovial inflammation was studied in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Eight patients with clinically active synovitis were injected with 350 MBq 99mTc-IgG, and imaging took place 4 h later. This resulted in excellent images of inflamed synovium. Significant correlations were observed between individual joint uptake on the scan and scores for joint pain (n = 316, p less than 0.001), joint swelling (n = 300, p less than 0.001) or the average of pain and swelling (n = 300, p less than 0.001). These results suggest that 99mTc-IgG scintigraphy may provide an objective, non-invasive test to detect and measure synovitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: van der Lubbe
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Arndt
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Calame
authors.forename: T C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Pauwels
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Breedveld
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007136:Immunoglobulins; D007596:Joints / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013585:Synovitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013667:Technetium
chemical_list: D007136:Immunoglobulins; C065376:technetium Tc 99m immunoglobulin; D013667:Technetium