Summary of planned validation exercises to evaluate US-guided synovial biopsy versus arthroscopy according to the OMERACT filter.
| OMERACT Filter | Standard to Assess Per Procedure | Procedures to Evaluate | Joints |
|---|---|---|---|
| Truth | Histopathological quality | US-NB, US-P&F | Large and small |
| RNA yield | US-NB, US-P&F | Large and small | |
| Discrimination | Sublining macrophage number versus clinical response | US-NB, US-P&F | Large and small |
| Feasibility | Patient acceptability | US-NB, US-P&F | Large and small |
| Evaluation of performance in a multicenter clinical trial | US-NB, US-P&F | Large and small | |
| Defining learning curve for new operators | US-NB, US-P&F | Large and small |
US: ultrasound; P&F: portal and forceps; NB: needle biopsy.