Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and progressive inflammatory disorder primarily affecting the synovium and is characterized by destruction of bone and cartilage. Early diagnosis and treatment of RA can improve disease outcomes substantially. Magnetic resonance imaging and musculoskeletal ultrasonography may facilitate early diagnosis and aid the targeting of intensive ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare the contribution of changes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and conventional radiography (CR) in the sacroiliac joints of patients with recent onset inflammatory back pain (IBP) in making an early diagnosis of spondyloarthritides. METHODS: The study involved 68 patients with IBP (38% male; mean (SD) age, 34.9 ...

The aim of this preliminary study was to standardize the reading of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). The MRI was conducted on a control group of eight subjects. In this study, the analysis of joint relationships was limited to the oblique sagittal plane, during the movement ...

The purpose of this study is to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of magnetic resonance arthrography (MRAr) on the diagnosis of intraarticular adhesions of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Twenty-four patients (31 joints) diagnosed as internal disorders of TMJ were examined to establish the presence, suspicion or absence of intraarticular adhesions through ...

BACKGROUND: Pain over the anterolateral aspect of the ankle in a patient with a history of repeated ankle sprains and with restricted subtalar movement may be associated with a tarsal coalition. Nineteen patients presented with such a history, but conventional imaging did not reveal a cartilaginous or osseous coalition. Since ...

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: For diagnosis, preoperative planning and postoperative guides, an accurate estimate of joint kinematics is required. It is important to acquire joint motion actively with real-time protocols. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We bring together MRI developments and new image processing methods in order to automatically extract active bone kinematics ...

OBJECTIVE: To perform a prospective long term follow up study comparing conventional radiography (CR), ultrasonography (US), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the detection of bone erosions and synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) finger joints. METHODS: The metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints II-V (128 joints) of the clinically dominant hand ...

A noninvasively expandable total-joint endoprosthesis is now available for pediatric patients; the prosthesis can be lengthened by external application of a magnetic field. We investigated the risks of unintentional heating or lengthening of the prosthesis during MR imaging and evaluated the effect of the device on the diagnostic efficacy of ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to highlight recent developments in imaging in juvenile arthritis. RECENT FINDINGS: The developments in imaging in juvenile arthritis are primarily focused on evaluation of destructive changes and inflammatory changes in joints. Plain radiography can demonstrate destructive changes in juvenile arthritis. The ...

Angiomatous malformation of the muscle around the knee joint is an extremely uncommon cause of recurrent swelling of the joint. We report a case of a 13-year-old boy who presented with recurrent episodes of knee joint swelling. Though the history and physical examination was typical, magnetic resonance imaging clinched the ...

The purpose of this study way to assess the value of contrast enhanced gray-scale ultrasound (CEUS) in detection of vascularity in joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a multicenter study of the International Arthritis Contrast Ultrasound (IACUS) study group. We assessed 113 joints in 113 patients (44 men, ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the use of a novel surface coil for clinically utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, in order to describe the microanatomic basis for hand osteoarthritis (OA) at all stages of disease. METHODS: MRI of proximal or distal interphalangeal joints was performed in 58 subjects: 16 patients with ...

PURPOSE: This investigation provides a detailed assessment of the morphologic and signal intensity changes of the temporomandibular joint disc and posterior disc attachment as depicted by magnetic resonance imaging in symptomatic versus asymptomatic subjects. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixty-one asymptomatic volunteers and 58 symptomatic subjects were imaged using a 1.5 tesla ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare 2 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) approaches and radiographic evaluation according to the Sharp/van der Heijde method with respect to sensitivity to change in joint destruction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Thirty-five RA patients and 9 healthy controls underwent MRI and radiography on 2 occasions 1 ...

STUDY DESIGN: A descriptive study of the association between sacroiliac joint bridging (SIB) and age, gender, laterality, and ethnic origin in a normal skeletal population. The effectiveness of radiographs in identifying SIB was also evaluated. OBJECTIVES: To characterize the phenomenon of SIB demographically and anatomically and to evaluate the validity ...

Facet joints play an important role in intervertebral load transmission and are crucial for rotational kinematics. Clinically, the role of facet joints as a possible source of low back pain is seen as controversial and at present is not sufficiently investigated. In this study, human lumbar facet (zygapopyhysial) joints from ...

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between disc position and stress direction on the condyle by means of stress analysis using the rigid body spring model (RBSM) theory. The material consisted of 88 joints of 44 Class III dentofacial deformity patients, divided into symmetry and asymmetry ...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The spondyloarthropathies are a group of conditions which share similar clinical features. Classification criteria permit separation of the conditions, allow better targeting of therapies, better measurement of outcomes, and better prognostic information. Early diagnosis remains problematic, but validated criteria for established disease are now emerging. RECENT FINDINGS: ...

Patellofemoral joint function involves a complex orchestration of a number of dynamic, static, and neuromuscular factors. I will discuss the components of patellofemoral anatomy and whether the presence of certain anatomic variables may increase the risk of patellofemoral arthrosis. The patellofemoral surgeon is faced with several clinical challenges: the semantics ...

The purpose of this study was to determine the correlation between routine radiography and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the analysis of the acromioclavicular (AC) joint osteoarthritis (OA). MR imaging studies of the shoulder in 50 patients performed over a 1-year period at a single institution with corresponding conventional radiographic ...

Distraction osteogenesis has been accepted as an alternative treatment modality for hypoplastic mandibles. Knowledge about the changes occurring in the temporomandibular joint region during mandibular distraction osteogenesis is, however, limited and controversial. Stress distribution in the temporomandibular joint region during unilateral vertical mandibular ramus distraction was studied using a finite ...

PURPOSE: To evaluate prospectively the use of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging for differentiating true rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or primary Sjögren syndrome in patients who have inflammatory polyarthralgia of the hands but no radiographic evidence of RA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study had institutional review board ...

In evaluating patello-femoral alignment, it is not enough to assess the conformity of the joint two-dimensionally, the direction of the extensor mechanism must be examined three-dimensionally. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), we adopted an ideal extensor mechanism plane intersecting the patellar facet of the femur centrally and perpendicularly. We evaluated ...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the course of bone marrow edema pattern (decreased signal intensity on T1- or proton-density-weighted images and increased signal intensity on T2-weighted fat-suppressed images) in the mandibular condyle after improvement in clinical symptoms, and to clarify its relationship with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) pain. ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the value of microbubble contrast agents for color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the detection of active sacroiliitis. METHODS: An observational case-control study of 103 consecutive patients (206 sacroiliac [SI] joints) with inflammatory low back pain according to the Calin criteria and ...

An approach was developed to evaluate the load transfer mechanism in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) area before, during and after mandibular ramus elongation by distraction osteogenesis (DO). In a concerted approach using computer tomography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and finite element analysis, three-dimensional numerical models based on a young male ...

Indirect MR arthrography involves intravenous injection of a standard dose of Gadolinium contrast followed, in delayed fashion, by MR imaging. Contrast in taken up by the joint at a rate dependent on a variety of factors including synovial area, vascularity, permeability, and pre-existing joint effusion. Patient acceptance is higher than ...

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to present the imaging findings for congenital dislocation of the patella, an uncommon condition with variable clinical manifestations in patients of different ages. CONCLUSION: Sonography can clearly illustrate the presence and location of the laterally displaced patella and the anatomy of adjacent joint structures. The high ...

Distraction osteogenesis has recently become a mainstay for treatment of mandibular hypoplasia. Thorough knowledge about changes in the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the surrounding parts of the mandible and the skull after mandibular distraction is still lacking. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the stress distribution in ...

A case is reported of a 43-year-old female patient presenting bilateral osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), in different stages for each side, associated with avascular necrosis (AVN) of the right condyle. Additionally observed was anterior disk displacement without reduction for both sides. We have proposed an adaptation ...

Since the advent of highly effective TNF-alpha inhibitors for treating spondyloarthritides, referring rheumatologists have been requesting the sensitive visualization of inflammatory changes not only of the sacroiliac joints but of the entire spine. Given that changes in spondyloarthritis may be very subtle, their visualization by means of magnetic resonance (MR) ...

The authors describe a rare case of a congenital absence of the right L5 pedicle in a 54-year-old man presenting with low back pain and radicular pain of his left leg. Plain x-ray films, computed tomography scan (CT) after myelography, and three-dimensional CT revealed the absence of the L5 pedicle ...

A rare case of synovial chondromatosis with extension to the middle cranial fossa is reported. Synovial chondromatosis, a benign disorder characterized by multiple cartilaginous, free-floating nodules that originate from the synovial membrane is not exclusive to the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). This condition is commonly seen in the axial skeleton and ...

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the correlations between joint effusion (JE) on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and the levels of various cytokine receptors, cytokine antagonists, and protein in the synovial fluid of patients with temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD). STUDY DESIGN: Fifty-five TMJs of 55 patients with ...

AIM: To investigate the clinical response and to evaluate by magnetic resonance imaging the inflammatory tissue changes in refractory rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with infliximab. METHODS: Sixteen refractory rheumatoid arthritis patients who were treated with intravenous infliximab (3 mg/kg) at weeks 0, 2, 6 and every 8 weeks thereafter were ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the changes in inflammatory lesions of the spine and the sacroiliac (SI) joints as detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and undifferentiated spondyloarthritis (uSpA) with predominant axial symptoms during treatment with etanercept. METHODS: MRI of the spine and/or the SI joints ...

BACKGROUND: Lateral displacement of the sesamoids of the first toe relative to the metatarsal head is a common finding in hallux valgus deformity. Several methods have been described for quantifying the amount of subluxation from anteroposterior radiographs but a tangential sesamoid radiograph has been determined to be the best view ...

The aim of this study was to compare sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and positive and negative predictive value for high-resolution ultrasonography (HR-US) in diagnosing degenerative changes, effusion and disk displacement using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a reference. Over a period of 6 months, 100 patients with TMJ disorders (200 TMJs) ...

The distinct radiographic features of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) help confirm it as a distinct entity from rheumatoid arthritis and highlight some unique non-synovial based disease imaging features. The advent of magnetic resonance imaging and a better understanding of joint microanatomy including the complexity of joint entheses provide a unifying anatomical ...

Fifty-six ankle joints in 38 haemophilic boys were investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the findings were classified according to both the Denver- and the European scoring schemes. The different MRI scores were compared with each other and with clinical data on number of joint bleeds and the orthopaedic ...

The sternoclavicular joint is the diarthrodial articulation between the axial and appendicular skeletons. It is subject to the same disease processes that occur in joints, including degenerative arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, infection, and subluxation. Most of these conditions present with swelling of the joint, which may be associated with pain and/or ...

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has historically been considered a milder rheumatic disease not yielding significant clinical damage. However, recent studies have shown that PsA can be deforming and debilitating and that joint damage can be severe. Traditionally, joint damage has been recorded using plain radiographs. Characteristic radiographic features of PsA include ...

We present three cases of finger distal interphalangeal joint reconstruction in children using a new donor site, the middle phalanx of the fifth toe, transferred as a non-vascularized graft. The patients were followed a minimum of 36 months with serial radiographs, magnetic resonance imaging and photographs. Alignment was improved and ...

OBJECTIVE: To report the MR imaging findings of painful injured metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints of the fingers. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: MR imaging of 39 injured MCP joints in 38 patients was performed after a mean delay of 8.8 months. The MR images were obtained with the fingers in extended and flexed ...

AIM: To describe a CT technique for guiding diagnostic and therapeutic injections in the hind- and mid-foot. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Over a period of 50 months, 28 individuals were referred for diagnostic and therapeutic hind- and mid-foot injections before possible arthrodesis. A CT technique was developed that allowed entry into ...

This article gives a short overview of the development and characteristics of the OMERACT rheumatoid arthritis MRI scoring system (RAMRIS), followed by an introduction to the use of the EULAR-OMERACT rheumatoid arthritis MRI reference image atlas. With this atlas, MRIs of wrist and metacarpophalangeal joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis ...

Efficient methods for diagnosis, monitoring and prognostication are essential in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). While conventional X-rays only visualize the late signs of preceding disease activity, there is evidence for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography being highly sensitive for early inflammatory and destructive changes in RA joints, and for ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the interobserver reliability among 14 experts in musculoskeletal ultrasonography (US) and to determine the overall agreement about the US results compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which served as the imaging "gold standard". METHODS: The clinically dominant joint regions (shoulder, knee, ankle/toe, wrist/finger) of four patients with ...

The aim of the present research was to evaluate disk displacements (DDs) of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) among patients referred for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and analyze the type and prevalence of DD, gender, age, side distribution, reciprocal clicking, presence of pain, range of mouth opening movement, and dental ...

Recent advances in tissue-engineered cartilage open the door to new clinical treatments of joint lesions. Common to all therapies with in-vitro engineered autografts is the need for optimal fit of the construct, to allow screwless implantation and optimal integration into the live joint. Computer Assisted Surgery techniques are prime candidates ...