Standardized training can improve the validity of synovitis and tenosynovitis assessment by musculoskeletal ultrasound: a pilot study in Chinese doctors / 中华风湿病学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the validity of assessing synovitis and tenosynovitis by using musculoskeletal ultrasound scoring systems after standardized training in Chinese doctors.Methods All participants received a 30 minutes' training for the ultrasound scoring systems of synovitis and tenosynovitis.Ten static images were applied to evaluate the changes before and after training,respectively.Each parameter was assessed by a four scale semi-quantitative system recommended by outcomes measures in rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials (OMERACT).Paired t-test was used to assess the differences before and after training.Results Thirteen rheumatologists and two ultrasonographers completed the entire procedure.Significant differences were found before and after training when assessing the severity of gray-scale of synovitis (0.61± 0.30 vs 0.45±0.23;t=2.230,P＜0.05) and power Doppler of synovitis (0.57±0.26 vs 0.31±0.18;t=2.928,P＜0.05) and tenosynotis (0.56±0.15 vs 0.31±0.16;t=5.286,P＜0.05),while no significant difference was found when assessing the gray scale of tenosynovitis (t=-1.679,P＞0.05).Conclusion Standardized training is helpful to improve the validity of ultrasound scoring systems of synovitis and tenosynovitis in Chinese rheumatologists and ultrasonographers.The validity of assessing gray-scale of tenosynovits needs improvement.