How normal is the enthesis by ultrasound in healthy subjects?

Objectives: To explore the prevalence of the ultrasound (US) findings of enthesitis in a group of healthy subjects.

Methods: US assessments of quadriceps, patellar and Achilles tendons, and plantar fascia entheses were performed by a rheumatologist on 82 healthy volunteers focusing on the US findings indicative of "active" inflammation according to the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) definitions.

Results: Eight hundred and twenty entheses were evaluated in 82 healthy subjects.

Ultrasound and clinical features of hip involvement in patients with gout.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of the ultrasound findings indicative of monosodium urate crystal deposits at the hip joint in patients with gout and to explore the association between the ultrasound findings and the clinical and serological features.

Methods: Bilateral ultrasound assessment of the hip joint was carried out in 40 consecutive patients with gout, diagnosed according to the latest Gout American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism classification criteria, and 25 disease controls. Ultrasound evidence of crystal deposits was obtained using the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology definitions: hip intra-articular aggregates and/or tophi, and "double contour" sign over the hyaline cartilage of the femoral head.

Reliability of OMERACT ultrasound elementary lesions in gout: results from a multicenter exercise.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the outcome measures in rheumatology (OMERACT) definitions for ultrasound (US) elementary lesions in gout through an image reading exercise. Images from patients with gout (static images and videos) were collected. As an initial step, we carried out a image reading exercise within the experts of the Pan-American League of Associations for Rheumatology (PANLAR) US Study Group (n = 16).

Hip Involvement in Patients With Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease: Potential and Limits of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound.

Objective: To preliminarily explore the diagnostic potential of ultrasound (US) in detecting calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystal deposits at the hip joint in a cohort of patients with CPP deposition disease (CPPD) who were previously evaluated by conventional radiography (CR) and to assess the sensitivity and specificity as well as the agreement between US and CR in the evaluation of hip CPP crystal deposits.

Methods: Fifty consecutive patients with definite CPPD and 40 age/sex/body mass index-matched disease control subjects who had undergone hip CR within the previous 6 months were enrolled. Bilateral hip US examination was carried out to assess the presence of CCP crystal deposits at the acetabular labrum fibrocartilage and at the femoral head's hyaline cartilage.

The popliteal groove region: A new target for the detection of monosodium urate crystal deposits in patients with gout. An ultrasound study.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of the ultrasound findings indicating monosodium urate crystal deposits at the popliteal groove region in patients with gout; to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in detecting monosodium urate crystal deposits at the popliteal groove region, patellar tendon and the knee hyaline cartilage; to investigate the correlation between the ultrasound findings at the popliteal groove region and the clinical features.

Methods: Bilateral ultrasound assessment of the popliteal groove region, patellar tendon and femoral condyles' hyaline cartilage was performed on 47 consecutive patients with gout and 37 controls. The ultrasound findings indicating monosodium urate crystals (aggregates, tophi and "double-contour" sign) were identified according to the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology definitions.