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Study: MRI useful in evaluation of patients with PsA
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According to a recently published study, MRI can be useful in the evaluation of patients with psoriatic arthritis.
“MRI is useful in evaluating patients with active [psoriatic arthritis] PsA, particularly when suspecting inflammation and radiographic findings are unhelpful,” Hernán Maldonado-Ficco, MD, from University of Toronto, and colleagues wrote. “In some cases, it can be used as an adjunct to clinical examination in determining treatment change.”
Between 2003 and 2014, researchers performed 168 MRI scans. Of these scans, 135 were axial and 33 were peripheral. Among the 125 patients, 51.1% were indicated for inflammatory disease; whereas 24.4% were indicated for degenerative disease.
Investigators found MRI revealed degenerative changes in 54.8% of patients and inflammatory changes in 34.1% of patients. In MRIs for axial inflammation — which involved 25 patients — 48% had sacroiliac joint involvement and 28% had inflammation in at least two sites. Of the peripheral MRIs, 60.6% were on the hands and 21.2% were on the feet.
Of the patients, 78.8% were indicated for subclinical synovitis. However, 72.7% had inflammatory arthritis. MRI influenced treatment change in 56.3% of patients, but did not affect treatment change without clinical findings in 100% of cases. – by Will Offit
Disclosure: Wojcik reports receiving funding from the FRSQ Career award, CIHR Junior investigator award.
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