PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Ewa Olech
AU  - Jane E Freeston
AU  - Philip G Conaghan
AU  - Elizabeth M A Hensor
AU  - Paul Emery
AU  - David Yocum
TI  - Using extremity magnetic resonance imaging to assess and monitor early rheumatoid arthritis: the optimal joint combination to be scanned in clinical practice.
DP  - 2008 Apr 01
TA  - The Journal of Rheumatology
PG  - 580--583
VI  - 35
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/35/4/580.short
4100  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/35/4/580.full
SO  - J Rheumatol2008 Apr 01; 35
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To identify the optimal combination for detecting erosions in early rheumatoid arthritis using extremity magnetic resonance imaging (eMRI). METHODS: In 44 patients, eMRI of 1 hand identified 77% who were erosive, 2 hands 89%, and 2 hands and feet 91%. RESULTS: eMRI identified 4 times as many erosions as radiography. At 6 months, eMRI of 1 hand identified an increase in erosions in 50% subjects, 2 hands in 55%, and 2 hands and feet in 55%. When only subjects with a change in erosion score above the smallest detectable difference were considered, these numbers were 30%, 25%, and 20%, respectively. CONCLUSION: eMRI provides superior erosion identification compared to radiography. Imaging 2 hands can be used as a screening tool and 1 hand to monitor erosions over time.