title: A comparison of the ultrasonography images of the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and the corresponding synovial histological findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to investigate whether ultrasonography (US) images of joints that underwent surgery reflected the synovial histological findings or clinical indicators and to compare the results of the findings related to large joints (LJs) with those of small joints (SJs).
  
  
  METHODS
  The operations were performed on 215 joints in 177 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The 215 joints included 64 LJs and 151 SJs. The joints with the power Doppler (PD) signal grades 0 and 1 were assigned to group L, while those with grades 2 and 3 were assigned to group H. The Rooney score, Disease Activity Score-erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28), serum matrix metallopeptidase 3 (MMP-3), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Rooney score, DAS28, MMP-3, and CRP levels of the LJs were significantly lower in group L than in group H. In group H, similar results were found in the LJs and SJs, with a significant increase in the disease activity, CRP and MMP-3 levels and the histological findings in comparison to group L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PD signal grade was one of the indicators that reflected the degree of synovitis in the histological findings of the active joints of RA patients.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rheumatology , Niigata Rheumatic Center , Niigata , Japan and.
authors.forename: Asami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abe
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rheumatology , Niigata Rheumatic Center , Niigata , Japan and.
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rheumatology , Niigata Rheumatic Center , Niigata , Japan and.
authors.forename: Kiyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakazono
authors.affiliation: a Department of Rheumatology , Niigata Rheumatic Center , Niigata , Japan and.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murasawa
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pathology , Niigata Prefectural Shibata Hospital , Niigata , Japan.
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wakaki
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D001799:Blood Sedimentation; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3 / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013585:Synovitis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D019278:Matrix Metalloproteinase 3
keywords: Power Doppler signal; Rheumatoid arthritis; Rooney score; Synovial histological findings; Ultrasonography