The evaluation of bone damage in rheumatoid arthritis with magnetic resonance imaging

R. Goldbach-Mansky¹, V. Mahadevan¹, L. Yao², P.E. Lipsky¹ 

¹Office of the Clinical Director, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases; ²Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

ABSTRACT
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRA) greatly improves the early detection and visualization of osseous and non-osseous joint changes over conventional x-rays of involved joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the "pathophysiological correlate" of these MR imaging changes remains poorly defined. Careful validation of MRI findings and the evaluation of MRI as a tool to follow the effect of therapy remain to be performed before MRI may be used as a clinical tool to follow therapy or as a surrogate for evaluating osseous changes over time.

Key words
Magnetic resonance imaging, bone erosions, rheumatoid arthritis.

Please address correspondence and reprint requests to:Raphaela Goldbach-Mansky, MD, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, Building 10, Room 9S205, 10 Center Drive, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. 
E-mail: goldbacr@mail.nih.gov

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2003; 21: (Suppl. 31): S50-S53.
© Copyright Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 2003.