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Precision Medicine in Rheumatology: The Promise of Ultrasound-Guided Synovial Biopsy, Barriers to Its Implementation in the United States, and Proposed Solutions

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

In the clinical evaluation of inflammatory arthritis and the research into its pathogenesis, there is a growing role for the direct analysis of synovial tissue. Over the years, various biopsy techniques have been used to obtain human synovial tissue samples, and there have been progressive improvements in the safety, tolerability, and utility of the procedure.

Recent Findings

The latest advancement in synovial tissue biopsy techniques is the use of ultrasound imaging to guide the biopsy device, along with evolution in the characteristics of the device itself. While ultrasound guided synovial biopsy (UGSB) has taken a strong foothold in Europe, the procedure is still relatively new to the United States of America (USA).

Summary

In this paper, we describe the expansion of UGSB in the USA, elucidate the challenges faced by rheumatologists developing UGSB programs in the USA, and describe several strategies for overcoming these challenges.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Diane Lewis Horowitz, Arthur M. Mandelin, Darren Tabechian and Ami Ben-Artzi are equal contributors to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Northwell, 2000 Marcus Ave, Suite 300, New Hyde Park, NY, 11042-1069, USA

    Diane Lewis Horowitz

  2. Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA

    Arthur M. Mandelin

  3. University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA

    Darren Tabechian

  4. Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Ami Ben-Artzi

Authors
  1. Diane Lewis Horowitz
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  2. Arthur M. Mandelin
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  3. Darren Tabechian
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  4. Ami Ben-Artzi
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Contributions

All four authors contributed equally to this manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Diane Lewis Horowitz.

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Horowitz, D.L., Mandelin, A.M., Tabechian, D. et al. Precision Medicine in Rheumatology: The Promise of Ultrasound-Guided Synovial Biopsy, Barriers to Its Implementation in the United States, and Proposed Solutions. Curr Rheumatol Rep (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11926-024-01138-9

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