Assessing synovitis with conventional static and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in knee osteoarthritis.

Assessing synovitis with conventional static and dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging in knee osteoarthritis. Dan Med J. 2018 Apr;65(4): Authors: Riis RG Abstract Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is one of the most common causes of physical disability in the elderly population. With an increasing ageing and obese population, the prevalence of KOA is expected to rise substantially. The needs for a better understanding of the disease and tools that can predict the course of the disease, for example following treatment, are therefore imperative. 

Inflammation has over the last years been recognised as an important factor for both the symptomatology and disease course in KOA. Synovitis, inflammation of the synovium, is the hallmark of intra-articular inflammation and has been associated with pain, symptoms and disease progression. Synovitis can be visualised on conventional static MRI. However, the addition of a dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) MRI-sequence enables the assessment of the synovium both in regards of its morphology and perfusion. Studies in both KOA and rheumatoid arthritis have shown that DCE-MRI measures of synovitis are more sensitive than conventional static MRI in regards of microscopic synovitis and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).

 The aims of this PhD project were to characterise synovitis in KOA with conventional static and DCE MRI in regards of histology (study I), its association with ...
Source: Danish Medical Journal - Category: General Medicine Tags: Dan Med J Source Type: research