Clinical ultrasonography in systemic autoimmune diseases

Publication date: Available online 10 November 2019Source: Revista Clínica Española (English Edition)Author(s): G. Serralta San Martín, J. Canora Lebrato, en representación del Grupo de Trabajode Ecografía Clínica y del Grupo de Trabajo de Enfermedades Autoinmunes Sistémicas de la Sociedad Españ ola de Medicina InternaAbstractClinical ultrasonography should be considered a complementary examination that can change clinical practice, as well as a tool to add to the medical history.Systemic autoimmune diseases (SAD) can involve numerous structures and organs. Ultrasonography has broad applied utility in detecting complications such as the presence of free intraabdominal, pleural and pericardial fluid in polyserositis, left ventricular systolic dysfunction in myocarditis and deep vein thrombosis in antiphospholipid syndrome.Specifically for SAD, ultrasonography helps examine the salivary glands in Sjögren's syndrome, determines the presence of the halo sign in giant cell arteritis and the presence of tendon or joint inflammation, quantifies pulmonary hypertension in scleroderma and assesses the presence of interstitial pulmonary disease in dermatomyositis.Clinical ultrasonography performed by internists is therefore an extremely useful technique in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with SAD.ResumenLa ecografía clínica se debe considerar, hoy por hoy, como una exploración complementaria que puede modificar la práctica clínica, siendo una herramienta más de la...

Source: Revista Clinica Espanola - November 10, 2019 Category: Internal Medicine Source Type: research