Imaging
Rheumatologic disorders often present with radiological changes well before any clinical symptoms are apparent. It is important to detect these changes as early as possible, because proper diagnosis and early treatment improves the prognosis of most rheumatic diseases.
Rheumatoid arthritis is one of the most well-studied disorders, presenting with pathognomonic changes such as joint-space narrowing (JSN), bone and cartilage erosions, and periarticular osteopenia.
Imaging techniques
- X-ray. A cheap and accessible examination used for the majority of musculoskeletal diseases (such as RA, osteoarthritis, and spondyloarthritides).
- It can visualize anatomical abnormalities and pathological changes in the bones, joints, and soft tissues, such as bone and cartilage erosions, joint-space narrowing, soft-tissue calcification or swelling, as well as osteopenia and gross malignancies.
- Proper imaging techniques are important, to allow visualization of the lesions, which sometimes require specific angles to be visualized, as X-ray captures only a single projection.
- Ultrasound. Additional cheap and accessible examination, used for evaluating joints and soft tissues such as muscles,