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Health Dictionary

Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Psoriasis MRI

Introduction

Overview

Overview

There are no MRI findings associated with cutaneous psoriasis, though an MRI may be used to diagnose psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in its early phase.

MRI

MRI

In cases of psoriatic arthritis, an MRI may reveal the following findings:^{_The_Journal_of_Rheumatology-1|[1]}

Joint erosion

Synovitis (usually secondary to extrasynovial involvement, which helps to differentiate PsA from rheumatoid arthritis)
Gadolinium contrast use can more reliably differentiate PsA from rheumatoid arthritis by relative enhancement and rate of enhancement on MRI
Enthesitis
Osteitis
Peri-articular edema

T1 weighted MRI showing joint erosion in the talo-navicular joint and peri-articular edema, courtesy of radiopedia.org

References

References

_The_Journal_of_Rheumatology_1-0|↑ “Psoriatic Arthritis Mutilans: Clinical and Radiographic Criteria. A Systematic Review | The Journal of Rheumatology”.

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Syed Hassan A. Kazmi BSc, MD [2]