Arthrosonography in the evaluation of osteoarticular and soft-tissue structures in rheumatology.
BACKGROUND
Real-time ultrasonography is a widely available, reliable, diagnostically sensitive and specific noninvasive modality which allows measuring of the thickness of different anatomical landmarks which form joints, of the periarticular soft tissue and connective tissue structures, of their echogenicity and the amount of joint effusion. The present study was designed to assess the clinical and diagnostic applicability of high-frequency ultrasonography in rheumatology.


METHODS
We used SONOACE 1500 (Medison Europe GmbH) with a 7.5 MHz transducer.


RESULTS
We demonstrate the most characteristic ultrasonographic patterns which have diagnostic significance in the seven most common rheumatologic disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
The pathological ultrasonographic patterns of the joints, periarticular and soft-tissue structures in rheumatologic disorders we present give an insight into the clinical applicability of arthrosonography and its inherent advantages over the conventional radiological examination--namely, ultrasonography is noninvasive, uses no radiation, which allows reproducibility and follow-up, widely available and relatively inexpensive and as such can be performed at bedside or on an outpatient basis.
Batalov
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A
Clinic of Rheumatology, Higher Medical Institute, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
Atanassov
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A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001171:Arthritis, Juvenile / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography