Synovial Tissue Biopsy Collection by Rheumatologists: Ready for Clinical Implementation?

Synovial tissue from arthritis patients is increasingly used for both basic pathophysiological and clinical translational research. This development has been spurred by the development of biotechnological techniques for analysis of complex tissues and the validation of ultrasound guided biopsies for easier tissue sampling. This increasing use of synovial tissue raises questions on standardization of methodologies for tissue processing and cellular & molecular analyses.