Contrast enhanced gray-scale sonography in assessment of joint vascularity in rheumatoid arthritis: results from the IACUS study group

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 i...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European radiology 2005-12, Vol.15 (12), p.2404-2410
Main Authors: Klauser, Andrea, Demharter, Johannes, De Marchi, Armanda, Sureda, Delia, Barile, Antonio, Masciocchi, Carlo, Faletti, Carlo, Schirmer, Michael, Kleffel, Timm, Bohndorf, Klaus
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Arthritis
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - complications
Arthritis, Rheumatoid - diagnostic imaging
Contrast Media
Diagnosis, Differential
Drug therapy
Europe
Female
Humans
Image Enhancement - methods
International Cooperation
Joints - blood supply
Joints - diagnostic imaging
Male
Middle Aged
Phospholipids
Reproducibility of Results
Rheumatoid arthritis
Sensitivity and Specificity
Sulfur Hexafluoride
Synovitis - complications
Synovitis - diagnostic imaging
Ultrasonography
Vascular Diseases - complications
Vascular Diseases - diagnostic imaging
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Summary: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, 69 women; mean age 51+/-14 years) with clinical diagnosis of RA. Gray-scale ultrasound (US), power Doppler US (PDUS) and CEUS, using a low mechanical index US technique, was performed. CEUS was done by bolus administration of the contrast agent SonoVue (Bracco, Milan, Italy) with a dosage of 4.8-ml SonoVue flushed with 10 ml saline. Detection of joint vascularity was performed for differentiation of active synovitis from inactive intra-articular thickening (synovitis/effusion). With the use of US and PDUS, active synovitis could be differentiated from inactive intra-articular thickening in 68/113 joints (60.1%), whereas CEUS enabled differentiation in 110/113 (97.3%) joints (p
ISSN:0938-7994
1432-1084
DOI:10.1007/s00330-005-2884-9