Group of chronic diseases characterized by inflammation of joints
Commonly autoimmune
Affects all ages, often striking in peak working and child-rearing age
Includes
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Most common form of IA
Psoriatic arthritis
~ 30% of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis
Ankylosing spondylitis
IA that cause pain and stiffness, mainly in back
Can present as juvenile ankylosing spondylitis, more commonly in boys than girls
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Most common type of IA in children
Girls > boys
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Joints affected along with other organs (kidneys, skin, brain)
Gout
Uric acid crystals form in cartilage and are released into joint fluid, producing pain
Pseudogout
Calcium pyrophosphate crystals form in synovial fluid in joints
Parvovirus arthritis
Contagious, viral arthritis that causes flu-like symptoms along with other IA symptoms
Usually resolves on its own within weeks
10% of patients may experience ongoing symptoms
Lyme disease
Caused by spirochete contracted through bite of infected deer tick
Produce IA symptoms in its later stages
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
Artifacts and Quality Control
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Almodóvar R et al: Definition of remission and disease activity assessment in psoriatic arthritis: Evidence and expert-based recommendations. Reumatol Clin. ePub, 2019
Mosher TJ et al: Osteoarthritis year 2013 in review: imaging. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. Epub ahead of print, 2013
van der Laken CJ et al: Nuclear imaging of rheumatic diseases. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 26(6):787-804, 2012
Kubota K et al: FDG PET for rheumatoid arthritis: basic considerations and whole-body PET/CT. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1228:29-38, 2011
Mohan HK et al: SPECT/CT in imaging foot and ankle pathology-the demise of other coregistration techniques. Semin Nucl Med. 40(1):41-51, 2010
Costelloe CM et al: Musculoskeletal pitfalls in 18F-FDG PET/CT: pictorial review. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 193(3 Suppl):WS1-WS13, Quiz S26-30, 2009
Kubota K et al: Whole-body FDG-PET/CT on rheumatoid arthritis of large joints. Ann Nucl Med. 23(9):783-91, 2009
De Leonardis F et al: The role of conventional radiography and scintigraphy in the third millennium. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 22(6):961-79, 2008
Houseni M et al: Facet joint arthropathy demonstrated on FDG-PET. Clin Nucl Med. 31(7):418-9, 2006
Related Anatomy
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Top Differential Diagnoses
Clinical Issues
Diagnostic Checklist
TERMINOLOGY
Definitions
Inflammatory arthritis (IA)
Group of chronic diseases characterized by inflammation of joints
Commonly autoimmune
Affects all ages, often striking in peak working and child-rearing age
Includes
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
Most common form of IA
Psoriatic arthritis
~ 30% of people with psoriasis develop psoriatic arthritis
Ankylosing spondylitis
IA that cause pain and stiffness, mainly in back
Can present as juvenile ankylosing spondylitis, more commonly in boys than girls
Juvenile idiopathic arthritis
Most common type of IA in children
Girls > boys
Systemic lupus erythematosus
Joints affected along with other organs (kidneys, skin, brain)
Gout
Uric acid crystals form in cartilage and are released into joint fluid, producing pain
Pseudogout
Calcium pyrophosphate crystals form in synovial fluid in joints
Parvovirus arthritis
Contagious, viral arthritis that causes flu-like symptoms along with other IA symptoms
Usually resolves on its own within weeks
10% of patients may experience ongoing symptoms
Lyme disease
Caused by spirochete contracted through bite of infected deer tick
Produce IA symptoms in its later stages
IMAGING
General Features
Radiographic Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
Artifacts and Quality Control
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Almodóvar R et al: Definition of remission and disease activity assessment in psoriatic arthritis: Evidence and expert-based recommendations. Reumatol Clin. ePub, 2019
Mosher TJ et al: Osteoarthritis year 2013 in review: imaging. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. Epub ahead of print, 2013
van der Laken CJ et al: Nuclear imaging of rheumatic diseases. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 26(6):787-804, 2012
Kubota K et al: FDG PET for rheumatoid arthritis: basic considerations and whole-body PET/CT. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1228:29-38, 2011
Mohan HK et al: SPECT/CT in imaging foot and ankle pathology-the demise of other coregistration techniques. Semin Nucl Med. 40(1):41-51, 2010
Costelloe CM et al: Musculoskeletal pitfalls in 18F-FDG PET/CT: pictorial review. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 193(3 Suppl):WS1-WS13, Quiz S26-30, 2009
Kubota K et al: Whole-body FDG-PET/CT on rheumatoid arthritis of large joints. Ann Nucl Med. 23(9):783-91, 2009
De Leonardis F et al: The role of conventional radiography and scintigraphy in the third millennium. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 22(6):961-79, 2008
Houseni M et al: Facet joint arthropathy demonstrated on FDG-PET. Clin Nucl Med. 31(7):418-9, 2006
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