| [ Summary ] |
Joint assessment methods for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) include physical, blood, and radiographic examinations. High-sensitivity imaging such as ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enable us to simultaneously evaluate arthritis activity and joint destruction. Therefore, they are useful both for diagnosis and monitoring of RA. Power Doppler signal reflecting intra-articular vascularization, and bone edema indicating osteitis, are important findings, which correlate with indexes for disease activity, future joint destruction, and response to therapeutic interventions. Therefore, those imaging modalities have recently become prevalent in clinical trials and in daily practice, leading to further advances in the management of RA. |