title: Ultrasound screening for interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As interstitial lung disease (ILD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients is associated with increased mortality due to loss of diffusion capacity and pulmonary hypertension, regular screening for structural abnormalities of the lung is advised. In addition to standard radiological examination with computed x-ray tomography, ultrasound of the lung could allow non-invasive and radiation-free structural monitoring of the lung. The objective of this study was to test the frequency of abnormalities in lung sonography in patients with RA who did not have clinical signs or symptoms of lung disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a prospective study of 64 consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 40 healthy volunteers, we screened the pleura and the pulmonary parenchyma for sonographic abnormalities. All RA patients underwent high resolution computer tomography of the lung.
  
  
  RESULTS
  28% of RA patients showed pleural nodules or B-line phenomena. In these patients, CT scans showed signs of incipient interstitial lung disease. Lung sonography showed sporadic abnormalities in 7% of the healthy controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transthoracic ultrasound of the lung is an inexpensive and safe tool to screen patients with RA for incipient pulmonary structural changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria. florentine.fuerst@medunigraz.at.
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Moazedi-Fuerst
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kielhauser
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scheidl
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Tripolt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lutfi
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yazdani-Biuki
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dejaco
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Graninger
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications*; D058070:Asymptomatic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D001317:Austria / Q000453:epidemiology; D057186:Comparative Effectiveness Research; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology*; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D010994:Pleura / Q000473:pathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*