title: The use of musculoskeletal ultrasound in a rheumatology outpatient clinic.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) represents a valid, reliable and sensitive-to-change tool for the evaluation of patients suffering from rheumatic conditions. This method demonstrates a wide applicability and availability, finding place in the clinical practice in rheumatology outpatient clinic.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To perform an epidemiological evaluation related to the use of US in a university rheumatology outpatient clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  During a 3-month period, data concerning consecutive patients attending to the US Unit of Department of Rheumatology, Sapienza University of Rome were registered. We collected the demographic data, the diagnosis, the reason for the US examination, the examined joints, as well as the requesting physicians' specialty.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the period October-December 2013, 572 patients (M/F 137/435; mean age+/-SD 55.2+/-15.8 years) were registered. The US examination was more frequently requested for the following diseases: rheumatoid arthritis (29.5%), osteoarthritis (10.6%), spondyloarthritis (9.1%), and connective tissue diseases (8.9%). In 239 of cases (41.8%), the US evaluation was requested for other indications. The US evaluation was requested slightly more frequently for monitoring (55.7%) compared to diagnosis (44.3%). The requesting physician was a rheumatologist in the majority of the cases (80.6%). The most frequent requested were the hand joints (28.9%) and wrists (23.3%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  US examinations are most frequently used in the evaluation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and mainly to monitor the disease. The exam is requested mostly by rheumatologists. The hand joints and wrists were the most frequently evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Dipartimento Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy. annamaria.iagnocco@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Iagnocco
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Dipartimento Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ceccarelli
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Dipartimento Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perricone
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Dipartimento Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelica
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gattamelata
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Dipartimento Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Annacarla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Finucci
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Dipartimento Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Dipartimento Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scirocco
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Dipartimento Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Iolanda Maria
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Rutigliano
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Dipartimento Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Vasilia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Iorgoveanu
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Dipartimento Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cravotto
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology Unit, Dipartimento Medicina Interna e Specialità Mediche, Sapienza Università di Roma, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Valesini
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007596:Joints / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012216:Rheumatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012219:Rheumatology / Q000379:methods*; D012384:Rome; D014463:Ultrasonography