Whole-body MRI for the investigation of joint involvement in inflammatory arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop a novel whole-body MRI protocol capable of assessing inflammatory arthritis at an early stage in multiple joints in one examination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-six patients with inflammatory joint symptoms and 9 healthy volunteers underwent whole-body MR imaging on a 3.0 T MRI scanner in this prospective study. Image quality and pathology in each joint, bursae, entheses and tendons were scored by two of three radiologists and compared to clinical joint scores. Participants were divided into three groups based on diagnosis at 1-year follow-up (healthy volunteers, rheumatoid arthritis and all other types of arthritis). Radiology scores were compared between the three groups using a Kruskal-Wallis test. The clinical utility of radiology scoring was compared to clinical scoring using ROC analysis. RESULTS: A protocol capable of whole-body MR imaging of the joints with an image acquisition time under 20 min was developed with excellent image quality. Synovitis scores were significantly higher in patients who were diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at 12 months (p < 0.05). Radiology scoring of bursitis showed statistically significant differences between each of the three groups-healthy control, rheumatoid arthritis and non-rheumatoid arthritis (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in ROC analysis between MRI and clinical scores. CONCLUSION: This study has developed a whole-body MRI joint imaging protocol that is clinically feasible and shows good differentiation of joint pathology between healthy controls, patients with rheumatoid arthritis and patients with other forms of arthritis.

Musculoskeletal Manifestations of Non-RA Connective Tissue Diseases: Scleroderma, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus, Still's Disease, Dermatomyositis/Polymyositis, Sjögren's Syndrome, and Mixed Connective Tissue Disease.

The most common systemic rheumatologic conditions are connective tissue diseases (including rheumatoid arthritis [RA]) followed by spondyloarthropathy. With the advent of biotherapies and imaging biomarkers, development in the imaging of RA and spondyloarthropathies has received substantial attention in the literature. This article details the various musculoskeletal imaging features of the other connective tissue diseases such as scleroderma and progressive systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Still's disease, dermatomyositis and polymyositis, Sjögren's syndrome, and mixed connective tissue disease.

Conventional Radiology in Crystal Arthritis: Gout, Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition, and Basic Calcium Phosphate Crystals.

This article reviews the main radiographic features of crystal deposition diseases. Gout is linked to monosodium urate crystals. Classic radiographic features include subcutaneous tophi, large and well-circumscribed paraarticular bone erosions, and exuberant bone hyperostosis. Calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) can involve numerous structures, such as hyaline cartilages, fibrocartilages, or tendons. CPPD arthropathy involves joints usually spared by osteoarthritis. Basic calcium phosphate deposits are periarticular or intraarticular. Periarticular calcifications are amorphous, dense, and round or oval with well-limited borders, and most are asymptomatic. When resorbing, they become cloudy and less dense with an ill-defined shape and can migrate into adjacent structures.

Anatomical and MR correlative study of the proximal sciatic nerve vasculature.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study is to demonstrate that increased T2 signal on MRI could be due to intraneural vessels in asymptomatic individuals, and may therefore be a normal finding. METHODS: An initial anatomic cadaveric study was undertaken to gain a better understanding of the vascular supply of the proximal sciatic nerve. Secondly, a retrospective study of MR imaging of patients without sciatic symptoms was performed to assess the prevalence of intraneural vessels, defined as hyperintensity on at least three consecutive slices on both T2 and gadolinium enhanced T1 weighted imaging, visible on routine MSK pelvic imaging. RESULTS: The anatomical study demonstrated a relatively abundant blood supply in the peri-ischiatic region. In the MR study, 20/76 (26%) patients showed visible intraneural vessels. More than one intraneural vessel was depicted in two of the sciatic nerves. Direct branching between the extrinsic and intrinsic systems was seen in only five cases. CONCLUSION: Normal intraneural vessels can frequently be seen within the sciatic nerve on routine musculoskeletal pelvic imaging. Advances in knowledge: T2 hyperintensity in the proximal sciatic nerve can be due to intraneural vessels and should not necessarily be reported as abnormal.

Towards evidence-based emergency medicine: best BETs from the Manchester Royal Infirmary. BET 1: Can biological markers predict alcohol withdrawal syndrome?

A short-cut review of the literature was carried out to establish whether biological markers (namely carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and mean corpuscular volume (MCV)) could reliably predict patients at risk of developing alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Using the below outlined search method and after exclusion of the non-relevant papers, five papers were found to be relevant to the specific question. The author, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes, results and study weaknesses of these are shown in table 1. The clinical bottom line is that CDT/GGT/MCV are not reliable enough as stand-alone markers to predict alcohol withdrawal syndrome in chronic alcohol abusers.