Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging for the evaluation of synovitis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate whether the findings of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reflect rheumatoid synovitis.


METHODS
Dynamic imaging enhanced with gadolinium-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid was performed on 10 affected knees of 9 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Changes in signal intensity were correlated with pathologic findings in synovial biopsy specimens obtained during total knee arthroplasty.


RESULTS
Enhancement was greater in regions with a higher degree of fibrin exudation, cellular infiltration, villous hypertrophy, vascular proliferation, and granulation formation.


CONCLUSIONS
Dynamic MRI can be used for assessing local disease activity in rheumatoid synovium.
Tamai
K
K
Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan.
Yamato
M
M
Yamaguchi
T
T
Ohno
W
W
D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D007719:Knee Joint; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D013585:Synovitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*
D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA