title: [Assessment of disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis by ultrasonography].
abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a typical autoimmune disease of connective tissue, with the synovial joints as the main site of the disease. Bone erosion occurs in the initial stage. A key factor in treating and understanding the prognosis of the disease is to determine which stage of the lesion is caused by rheumatoid arthritis. In order to assess bone erosion and determine the degree of synovial proliferation, ultrasonography has come into the spotlight as a method of visualizing the rheumatoid arthritis lesion, which cannot be distinguished superficially from the cutaneous condition. Joint ultrasonography is a relatively inexpensive procedure that can be used to examine patients repeatedly; therefore, we can compare serial data from such patients. The joint lesion, which we focused on, can be understood in real time and is superior in many respects. However, at present, there are problems with examiner bias and the lack of a standard assessment method, because joint ultrasonography alone does not provide objective imaging findings. Now, joint ultrasonography is also useful as a supportive method to clarify mobility around the articular region. Ultrasonography might be used as a supportive method for the early diagnosis, assessment of disease activity, evaluation of the drug efficacy, prognosis, and as part of the differential diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Laboratory Diagnosis, Daiichi Rehabilitation Hospital, Kochi 780-0832, Japan. Kensa-daiichi@daiichi-hp.jp
authors.forename: Misako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nishimoril
authors.forename: Suzuko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozaki
authors.forename: Masataka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noguch
authors.forename: Takamasa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nieda
authors.forename: Tomohiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Satoh
authors.forename: Kou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakatani
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakajima
mesh_terms: D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D011379:Prognosis; D013585:Synovitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography