Korean J Med.  2015 Dec;89(6):609-615. 10.3904/kjm.2015.89.6.609.

Ultrasonographic Findings in Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Kang TY

• KMID: 2268916
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjm.2015.89.6.609

Abstract

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be evaluated with ultrasound using both gray scale and Doppler mode. Gray scale provides cross-sectional images of joints, whereas Doppler shows the vascularity of the proliferated synovium. In RA, ultrasound can detect sub-clinical or early synovitis, assess arthritis more accurately than through clinical examination, and predict recurrence. In particular, a Doppler signal detected inside the joint cavity correlates with disease activity. Imaging remission can reflect the true remission status more accurately than with clinical remission. In this review, we focus on the use of ultrasonographic findings for the diagnosis, assessment, and prediction of RA.

Keyword

Ultrasonography; Doppler; Rheumatoid arthritis; Synovitis

MeSH Terms

Arthritis
Arthritis, Rheumatoid*
Diagnosis
Joints
Recurrence
Synovial Membrane
Synovitis
Ultrasonography