Rheumatoid arthritis echocardiography and ultrasound
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Manpreet Kaur, MD [2]
Overview
Ultrasound is helpful in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Findings on an ultrasound suggestive of rheumatoid arthritis include tenosynovitis, bursitis, baker’s cyst, and inflammation of synovium. Therapeutic use of ultrasound is the guidance of corticosteroid injection in the joint and fluid aspiration from the joint effusion. Echocardiography is not used in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis but it is used to pericarditis which is a complication of RA.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is helpful for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Findings on an ultrasound suggestive of rheumatoid arthritis include:[1][2]
- Inflammation of synovium
- Tenosynovitis– Earliest manifestation is involvement of extensor carpi ulnaris tendon which can lead to erosion of ulnar styloid process
- Bursitis
- Baker’s cyst
Therapeutic uses of ultrasound in rheumatoid arthritis may include:
- Guiding corticosteroid injection into the joint
- Fluid aspiration from the joint effusion
Source:Case courtesy of Dr Maulik S Patel[3][4]
Echocardiography is not used for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis but it is used to pericarditis which is a complication of RA.
References
- ↑ Boutry N, Morel M, Flipo RM, Demondion X, Cotten A (December 2007). “Early rheumatoid arthritis: a review of MRI and sonographic findings”. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 189 (6): 1502–9. doi:10.2214/AJR.07.2548. PMID 18029892.
- ↑ Sudoł-Szopińska I, Jans L, Teh J (March 2017). “Rheumatoid arthritis: what do MRI and ultrasound show”. J Ultrason. 17 (68): 5–16. doi:10.15557/JoU.2017.0001. PMC 5392548. PMID 28439423.
- ↑ href=”https://radiopaedia.org/“>Radiopaedia.org
- ↑ href=”https://radiopaedia.org/cases/12520“>rID: 12520
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