Comparison between Power Doppler Ultrasonography and Nailfold Capillaroscopy for the Differentiation of Raynaud's Phenomenon / 대한류마티스학회지

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the usefulness of power Doppler ultrasonography (PDU) in diagnosing Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and in differentiating primary RP from secondary RP comparing with nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC). METHODS: Microvascularity in the nailfold and finger tip of ten healthy controls and 36 patients with primary RP (n=16) or secondary RP (systemic sclerosis, n=20) was evaluated using PDU before and after cold challenge, respectively. Also, NFC was performed in all persons. The results of PDU were compared with the findings of NFC. RESULTS: According to the change of microvascularities before and after cold challenge, the findings of PDU are classified into 3 patterns such as normal, primary RP, and secondary RP. PDU yielded a correct classification in 87.5% of the persons analyzed (normal=100%, primary RP=87.5%, secondary RP=75%) and confirmed presence of RP in all patients with clinically diagnosed RP. There was good correlation between PDU and NFC examination for differentiating primary RP from secondary RP (Kappa=0.611, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The PDU technique is a useful and reliable method to diagnose RP and to discriminate between primary RP and secondary RP and the results of PDU is well correlated with those of NFC examination.