Imaging

Ultrasound imaging for the rheumatologistVI. Ultrasonography of the elbow, sacroiliac, parasternal, and temporomandibular joints

A. Delle Sedie¹, L. Riente¹, A. Iagnocco², E. Filippucci³, G. Meenagh⁴, G. Valesini², W. Grassi³, S. Bombardieri¹

Cattedra di Reumatologia, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy; 2Cattedra di Reumatologia, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, Roma, Italy; 3Cattedra di Reumatologia, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Jesi, Italy; 4Department of Rheumatology, Musgrave Park Hospital, Belfast, UK.

ABSTRACT

Ultrasound (US) examination of the elbow and parasternal joints is very useful to detect synovitis, degenerative changes, intrarticular calcification or soft tissue abnormalities. More recently new fields of research involving the sacroiliac and temporomandibular (TM) joints have evolved. Moreover, important information has been obtained about vascularization of the synovial joint in the sacroiliac region and structural modification such as internal derangement in the TM joint.. In this paper, we review and discuss the role of US in the evaluation of elbow, sacroiliac, parasternal and TM joint pathology.

Key words

Elbow, sacroiliac, parasternal and temporomandibular joints, ultrasound, sonography

Please address correspondence and reprint requests to: Andrea Delle Sedie, Rheumatology Unit, University of Pisa, Via Roma 67, 56126 Pisa, Italy.

E-mail: adellese@lycos.com

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2006; 24: 617-621

© CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL RHEUMATOLOGY 2006.