Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of PMR

P. Pavlica¹, L. Barozzi¹, C. Salvarani², F. Cantini³, I. Olivieri⁴

¹Servizio di Radiologia “Albertoni”, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna; ²Divisione di Reumatologia, Arcispedale S. Maria Nuova, Reggio Emilia; ³Unità di Reumatologia, II Divisione di Medicina, Ospedale di Prato; ⁴Servizio di Reumatologia, Ospedale S. Carlo, Potenza, Italy.

ABSTRACT
The cause of musculoskeletal symptoms in polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is not clearly defined because joint synovitis may only partially explain the diffuse discomfort. MRI imaging of the shoulders, hip and extremities of patients with PMR has been analyzed. MRI showed that subacromial and subdeltoid bursitis of the shoulders and iliopectineal bursitis and hip synovitis are the predominant and most frequently observed lesions in active PMR. The inflammation of the bursae associated with glenohumeral synovitis, bicipital tenosynovitis and hip synovitis may explain the diffuse discomfort and morning stiffness.

Key words
Polymyalgia rheumatica, MRI, bursitis.

Please address correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr. Pietro Pavlica, Servizio di Radiologia "Albertoni", Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Via Albertoni no. 15, 40138 Bologna, Italy.

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2000; 18 (Suppl. 29): S38-S39.
© Copyright Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2000.