Re: RESEARCH - MRI is more sensitive than radiographs in dectecting change in size of erosions in RA

[Guest guest]

I'll bet they spent a pretty penny on this " No Brainer " ....

wrote:

> J Rheumatol. 2006 Aug 1; [Epub ahead of print]

>

> Magnetic Resonance Imaging Is More Sensitive Than Radiographs in Detecting

> Change in Size of Erosions in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

>

> Chen TS, Crues JV 3rd, Ali M, Troum OM.

>

> OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the technological performance of magnetic resonance

> imaging (MRI) with respect to projection radiography by determining the

> incidence of changes in the size of individual bone lesions in

> inflammatory

> arthritis, using serial high-resolution in-office MRI over short time

> intervals (8 months average followup), and by comparing the sensitivity of

> 3-view projection radiography with in-office MRI for detecting changes in

> size and number of individual erosions. METHODS: MR examinations of the

> wrists and second and third metacarpophalangeal joints were performed

> using

> a portable in-office MR system in a total of 405 patients with

> inflammatory

> arthritis, from one rheumatologist's practice, who were undergoing

> aggressive disease modifying antirheumatic drug therapy. Of the patients,

> 156 were imaged at least twice, allowing evaluation of 246 followup

> examinations (mean followup interval of 8 months over a 2-year period).

> Baseline and followup plain radiographs were obtained in 165 patient

> intervals. Patients refused radiographic examination on 81 followup

> visits.

> RESULTS: MRI demonstrated no detectable changes in 124 of the 246 (50%)

> followup MRI examinations. An increase in the size or number of

> erosions was

> demonstrated in 74 (30%) examinations, a decrease in the size or number of

> erosions in 36 (15%), and both increases and decreases in erosions

> were seen

> in 11 (4%). In the 165 studies with followup radiographic comparisons,

> only

> one examination (0.8%) showed an erosion not seen on the prior examination

> and one (0.8%) showed an increase in a previously noted erosion.

>

> CONCLUSION: We showed that high-resolution in-office MRI with an average

> followup of 8 months detects changes in bony disease in 50% of compliant

> patients during aggressive treatment for inflammatory arthritis in a

> single

> rheumatologist's office practice. Plain radiography is insensitive for

> detecting changes in bone erosions for this patient population in this

> time

> frame.

>

> PMID: 16881098

>

>

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=1\

6881098

>

<http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve & db=PubMed & list_uids=\

16881098>

>

>

> Not an MD

>

> I'll tell you where to go!

>

> Mayo Clinic in Rochester

> http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester <http://www.mayoclinic.org/rochester>

>

> s Hopkins Medicine

> http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org <http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org>

>

>