Mixed connective tissue disease MRI

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Shaghayegh Habibi, M.D.[2]

Overview

Musculoskeletal MRI is helpful in detection of subclinical synovial inflammation and joint damage with a greater precision compared with X-rays. Cardiac MRI is complementary in diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Since magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has multiplanar capacity and higher sensitivity, it is a better diagnostic tool than conventional radiology for diagnosis of joint problems in MCTD.^[1]
Musculoskeletal MRI is helpful in detection of subclinical synovial inflammation and joint damage with a greater precision compared with X-rays.^[2]
Cardiac MRI is complementary in diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension.^[3]

↑ Cimmino MA, Iozzelli A, Garlaschi G, Silvestri E, Montecucco C (April 2003). “Magnetic resonance imaging of the hand in mixed connective tissue disease”. Ann. Rheum. Dis. 62 (4): 380–1. PMC 1754488. PMID 12634252.
↑ Abdel-Magied RA, Lotfi A, AbdelGawad EA (August 2013). “Magnetic resonance imaging versus musculoskeletal ultrasonography in detecting inflammatory arthropathy in systemic sclerosis patients with hand arthralgia”. Rheumatol. Int. 33 (8): 1961–6. doi:10.1007/s00296-013-2665-8. PMC 3719002. PMID 23354165.
↑ Ciang NC, Pereira N, Isenberg DA (March 2017). “Mixed connective tissue disease-enigma variations?”. Rheumatology (Oxford). 56 (3): 326–333. doi:10.1093/rheumatology/kew265. PMID 27436003.