Musculoskeletal ultrasound as a diagnostic and prognostic tool in rheumatoid arthritis.

The use of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSKUS) has increased in a variety of rheumatic conditions, particularly rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MSKUS complements the physical examination by allowing for superior visualization of synovitis and erosive changes compared to conventional radiography and provides detail comparable or supplementary to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This modality is also less expensive than MRI and CT scans, without claustrophobia or other contraindications, while uniquely providing dynamic, rather than static imaging.

Outcome measures in psoriatic arthritis clinical trials.

Outcome measures in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) have been primarily borrowed from the assessment of rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, although several specific measures for PsA have been established. The advent of new therapeutic agents for the treatment of PsA has made the need for specific outcome measures for PsA more critical to evaluate the heterogeneous manifestations of this disease and features that are unique to its assessment. Several outcome measures have been validated for use in PsA clinical trials while others are being evaluated by groups such as The Group for Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis for future use in clinical trials.