title: [Value and limitations of scintigraphy of the hand in rheumatoid arthritis].
abstract: 99mTc-polyphosphate joint imaging of the hand has been performed in 18 patients, with evidence of inflammatory joint disease, but without any significant radiographic lesions, which might be related to rheumatoid arthritis. The hand scans were compared to clinical and radiographic data. An year after, the same subjects were re-examined, with both the radionuclide imaging and radiography. Scintigraphy has been shown to be significantly more sensitive for detecting inflammatory joint disease than x-ray, especially in the early stage of rheumatoid arthritis. Although radionuclide imaging is non specific (activity is increased also in osteoarthritis, trauma, metabolic bone disease, infarction, etc.). Radiography is highly specific but relatively non sensitive.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D011756:Diphosphates; D004164:Diphosphonates; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011122:Polyphosphates; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D013667:Technetium; D017556:Technetium Compounds; D016698:Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate
chemical_list: D011756:Diphosphates; D004164:Diphosphonates; D011122:Polyphosphates; D017556:Technetium Compounds; C009835:technetium Tc 99m polyphosphate; D016698:Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate; D013667:Technetium; C029045:technetium Tc 99m diphosphonate; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m
vernacular_title: Valore e limiti della scintigrafia della mano in corso di artrite reumatoide.