PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Nina Renner
AU  - Arnd Kleyer
AU  - Gerhard Krönke
AU  - David Simon
AU  - Stefan Söllner
AU  - Jürgen Rech
AU  - Michael Uder
AU  - Rolf Janka
AU  - Georg Schett
AU  - Goetz H.  Welsch
AU  - Milena L.  Pachowsky
TI  - T2 Mapping as a New Method for Quantitative Assessment of Cartilage Damage in RA
AID  - 10.3899/jrheum.180728
DP  - 2019 Aug 15
TA  - The Journal of Rheumatology
PG  - jrheum.180728
4099  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2019/08/08/jrheum.180728.short
4100  - http://www.jrheum.org/content/early/2019/08/08/jrheum.180728.full
AB  - Objective Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with damage of the articular cartilage and the periarticular bone. While imaging of bone damage has substantially improved in the last years, direct imaging of the articular cartilage of the hand joints in patients with RA is still challenging. Methods 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was done in 30 RA patients and T2 relaxation times visualizing alteration in the collagen network and hydration of articular cartilage were mapped in six cartilage regions of the metacarpophalangeal joints 2 and 3. Values were related to autoantibody (anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA), rheumatoid factor (RF)) status, disease duration, disease activity as well as sex and age of the RA patients. Results T2 relaxation times could be reliably measured in the six regions of the metacarpophalangeal joints. Significantly higher relaxation times indicating more advanced cartilage alterations were observed in ACPA-positive (p=0.001-0.010) and RF-positive patients (p=0.013-0.025) as well as those with longer disease duration (>3 years; p=0.028-0.043). Current disease activity, sex and age did not influence T2 relaxation times. Conclusion These data show that cartilage damage can be localized and quantified in the hand joints of RA patients by T2 mapping. Furthermore, ACPA and RF positivity as well as disease duration appear to be the crucial factors influencing cartilage damage.