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Synovitis maps for the assessment of inflammatory diseases of the hand

  • Musculoskeletal
  • Published:
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Abstract

Objectives

To compare accuracy and review times of FLASH-MRI-derived synovitis maps (SM) with conventional MR images (cMRI) in the assessment of articular synovitis and tenosynovitis of the hand.

Methods

80 hands in 40 patients (mean age, 48 years; range, 15–72 years) were assessed for synovitis on cMRI and SM by two readers independently. Reporting times and diagnostic confidence (scale: 1 = least, 5 = most confident) were measured. Results from an assessment of a panel of senior musculoskeletal radiologists served as the standard of reference.

Results

Sensitivity and specificity for the detection of articular synovitis were 0.91/1.00 (R1) and 1.00/0.67 (R2) on cMRI and 0.87/0.75 (R1) and 0.91/0.45 (R2) on SM and for the detection of tenosynovitis 0.95/0.63 (R1) and 0.67/0.79 (R2) on cMRI and 0.67/0.89 (R1) and 0.38/1.00 (R2) on SM. Mean review times (cMRI/SM, sec) were 142/37 (R1) and 167/25 (R2). Mean diagnostic confidence (cMRI/SM) was 3.7/3.4 (R1) and 3.2/3.5 (R2) for articular synovitis and 4.0/4.0 (R1), 3.3/3.7 (R2) for tenosynovitis.

Conclusion

Synovitis maps provide a comparable diagnostic accuracy to conventional MR images in the assessment of articular synovitis and tenosynovitis of the hand. Because of short review times, synovitis maps provide a fast overview of locations with synovial enhancement.

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Disclosure

Prof. J. Hodler is a member of the Siemens MSK advisory board. All other authors have nothing to disclose.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University Hospital Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland

    Marco Zanetti, Paul Stolzmann, Isabelle Steurer-Dober, Jürg Hodler & Christian W. A. Pfirrmann

  2. Department of Radiology, Kantonsspital Luzern, Luzern, Switzerland

    Christoph Karlo & Isabelle Steurer-Dober

  3. Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital Balgrist, Zurich, Switzerland

    Florian Brunner

  4. Department of Radiology, University Hospital Zurich, Rämistrasse 100, 8091, Zurich, Switzerland

    Christoph Karlo

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  1. Christoph Karlo
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Correspondence to Christoph Karlo.

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Karlo, C., Zanetti, M., Stolzmann, P. et al. Synovitis maps for the assessment of inflammatory diseases of the hand. Eur Radiol 21, 1499–1508 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-011-2078-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-011-2078-6

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