Finger tendon involvement in rheumatoid arthritis. Evaluation with high-frequency sonography

Arthritis Rheum. 1995 Jun;38(6):786-94. doi: 10.1002/art.1780380611.

Abstract

Objective: To characterize finger tendon involvement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: The finger tendons of 20 RA patients were studied by ultrasonography using a high-frequency (13-MHz) transducer.

Results: Eighteen patients (90%) showed finger tendon abnormalities: widening of the flexor tendon sheath (80%), loss of the normal fibrillar echotexture (60%), irregularity of the extensor (30%) and flexor (50%) tendon margins, tendon tear (10%), synovial cyst (20%).

Conclusion: High-frequency sonography is helpful in assessing even minimal finger tendon lesions in RA patients.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / diagnostic imaging
  • Arthritis, Rheumatoid / physiopathology*
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Female
  • Finger Joint / diagnostic imaging
  • Finger Joint / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Synovial Membrane / diagnostic imaging
  • Synovial Membrane / pathology
  • Tendons / diagnostic imaging
  • Tendons / physiopathology*
  • Transducers
  • Ultrasonography / instrumentation
  • Ultrasonography / methods