title: Magnetic resonance imaging of the wrist in rheumatoid arthritis: comparison with other inflammatory joint diseases and control subjects.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the wrist of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. MRI and plain X-ray of the wrists were performed in 15 patients with RA, 7 patients with another chronic inflammatory joint disease (CIJD), and 10 control subjects. Patients had only minor changes on plain X-ray. Coronal T1 weighted spin echo sequences were performed before and after an intravenous pulse of gadolinium (GD). Contiguous 3 mm thick slices were obtained. Synovitis was frequently objectivized in the two groups of patients. MRI detected far more erosions and central bone geodes than plain X-ray. Geodes were frequent among controls while cortical bone erosions were frequent in patients. Most of the erosions were enhanced after GD injection in the RA patients but not in the 2 other groups. Thus MRI is not only useful in diagnosing inflammatory changes of the wrist but also in distinguishing early stage RA from other CIJD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Hopital de la Conception, Marseille, France.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tonolli-Serabian
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Poet
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dufour
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carasset
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Mattei
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Roux
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013585:Synovitis / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014953:Wrist / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D005682:Gadolinium