title: [Radiological imaging in early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. The role of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  For optimal therapy management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) specific and sensitive diagnostic methods are essential for assessment of disease activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  In addition to projection radiography, imaging techniques, in particular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound (US) are becoming increasingly more important for the early diagnosis of RA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MRI and US techniques play a key role in the early imaging diagnostics of RA. Measurement of inflammation activity represents the basis of therapeutic decision-making and can be quantitatively and qualitatively determined with MRI and US. Synovitis and bone marrow edema are predictors of erosion.
authors.affiliation: Universitätsklinik für Radiodiagnostik, AKH, Medizinische Universität Wien, Wien, Österreich. hannes.platzgummer@meduniwien.ac.at
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Platzgummer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schueller-Weidekamm
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001175:Arthrography / Q000379:methods*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*