Hemodialysis-related arthropathy. A prospective MR study with SE and GRE sequences.
OBJECTIVE
A prospective examination of hemodialysis-related arthropathy by MR imaging with SE and GRE sequences was undertaken to verify whether the low signal intensity on T2-weighted SE images is caused by a paramagnetic susceptibility effect derived from amyloid or from hemosiderin.


METHODS
Twenty-seven joints (19 hip joints, 6 discovertebral joints of 5 lumbosacral spines and 1 cervical spine, 2 shoulder joints) in 14 patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis (duration 10-22 years, mean 17) were examined with SE T1-weighted, T2-weighted and GRE T2*-weighted sequences.


RESULTS
The signal intensity of the intraarticular and periarticular masses of the involved joints was basically isointense to the muscle in all 3 pulse sequences. No significantly low signal area was found on GRE T2*-weighted images.


CONCLUSIONS
The low signal areas in the hemodialysis-related arthropathy on SE T2-weighted images are not caused by a paramagnetic susceptibility effect, but probably by the hypocellular and fibrous nature of amyloid-containing tissues. Therefore the GRE sequence can be helpful for differentiating hemodialysis-related amyloid arthropathy from chronic hemarthrosis or juxta-articular brown tumor.
Karakida
O
O
Department of Radiology, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan.
Aoki
J
J
Kanno
Y
Y
Watanabe
T
T
Tamura
K
K
Seo
G S
GS
Sone
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D007596:Joints / Q000473:pathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D006435:Renal Dialysis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D013131:Spine / Q000473:pathology