Measurement of synovial inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis with technetium 99m labelled human polyclonal immunoglobulin G.
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.
van der Lubbe
P A
PA
Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Arndt
J W
JW
Calame
W
W
Ferreira
T C
TC
Pauwels
E K
EK
Breedveld
F C
FC
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
D007136:Immunoglobulins; C065376:technetium Tc 99m immunoglobulin; D013667:Technetium