Quantification of inflammation in the wrist with gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging and PET with 2-[F-18]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose.

Purpose: To quantify the activity of joint inflammation with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and positron emission tomography (PET).

Materials And Methods: Gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging and 2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) PET of the wrist were performed prospectively in 12 patients receiving antiinflammatory therapy. Patients were studied three times: off medications for 2 weeks, after 2 weeks of treatment with prednisone or nonsteroid antiinflammatory drugs, and after 12 weeks of treatment with methotrexate.

Use of magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography in the assessment of synovial volume and glucose metabolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To measure the anatomic and physiologic changes in the synovium of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) before and after the initiation of treatment with low-dose systemic glucocorticoids and methotrexate (MTX).

Methods: Two patients with RA with active synovitis involving the carpus were evaluated by imaging parameters at baseline and again after 14 weeks (of treatment with low-dose prednisone and MTX). Standard clinical parameters, laboratory measurements, and contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (synovial volume estimate) and positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (18-FDG) (synovial metabolism estimate) were performed.

Synovial fluid examination in hyperuricemic psoriatic patients.

Aspiration of the first metatarsophalangeal joint in asymptomatic hyperuticemic psoriasis was performed in order to see whether there are specific findings which could help to predict who is prone to develop gout and to find out whether a distinction can be established between psoriasis and gouty arthritis. Since crystals were not found, it seems that the aspiration of the first metatarsophalangeal joint is not likely to yield monosodium urate crystals and is not contribute to the differential diagnosis.