Kinetic Modeling of Contrast-Enhanced MRI: An Automated Technique for Assessing Inflammation in the Rheumatoid Arthritis Wrist

In recent years, development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drug therapy has been more directly targeted to counteract specific mechanisms of inflammation, and it is now believed that early aggressive treatment with disease modifying drugs is important to inhibit future structural joint damage. The development of these new treatments has increased the need for methodologies to assess disease activity in RA and monitor the effectiveness of drug therapy. Unlike X-ray, which shows only structural bone damage, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can depict soft tissue damage and synovitis, the primary pathology of RA. Recent studies have also indicated that MRI is sensitive to pathophysiologic changes that may predate radiographic erosions and may predict future joint damage. In this study, we have developed a computer automated analysis technique for MR wrist images that provides an objective measure of RA synovitis. This method applies a two-compartment pharmacokinetic model to every voxel of a dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) dataset and outputs resulting parametric images. The aim of this technique is to not only objectively quantify the severity of rheumatoid synovitis, but to also locally determine where areas of serious disease activity are situated through kinetic modeling of blood-tissue exchange. Preliminary results show good correlation to early enhancement rate, which has previously been shown to be a useful clinical marker of RA activity. However, the use of tracer kinetic modeling methods potentially provides more specific information regarding underlying RA physiology. This approach could provide a useful new tool in RA patient management and could substantially improve RA therapeutic studies by calculating objective biomarkers of the disease state.     

Sonography detection threshold for knee effusion

The aim of this study was to determine the threshold for detecting knee effusion by ultrasound (US). Five knee specimens from embalmed cadavers were studied. Intra-articular injection of saline, blood and synovial fluid was performed under ultrasound control and methylene blue dye instillation. The smallest amount of fluid detectable by US in the knee was 7.4 ml for synovial fluid, 10.1 and 10.4 ml for saline solution and 9.7 for blood. The threshold for detecting knee joint effusion by US in cadaver specimens was 10 ml for saline and blood and 7 ml for synovial fluid.Abbreviations US Ultrasound     

血管内皮细胞生长因子在颞下颌关节骨关节炎中的研究进展

颞下颌关节骨关节炎(temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis, TMJOA)是一种发病率高、危害大的常见颞下颌关节紊乱病,其主要病理过程包括软骨退变、滑膜炎和黏连形成。血管内皮细胞生长因子(vascular endothelial growth factor,VEGF)是一种促进血管生长因子,近年来发现在TMJOA的关节盘、髁突软骨、滑膜组织及关节液中均有表达,故逐渐被认为是TMJOA形成的一种重要可疑因子。本文就VEGF在TMJOA发病过程中的作用及研究进展做一综述。     

高频超声对小儿髋关节暂时性滑膜炎的诊断价值

[目的]探讨高频超声检查对小儿髋关节暂时性滑膜炎的诊断价值。[方法]对临床上已确诊的54例髋关节暂时性滑膜炎患儿进行双侧髋关节前侧切面高频超声对比检查。随机抽取与病例组年龄范围相同的30例健康儿童进行双侧髋关节高频超声检查,作为正常对照。将病例组和对照组双侧髋关节颈前间隙差值作两样本均数比较的t检验,并连续观察1～4周。[结果]54例患髋均存在股骨颈颈前间隙增宽,前隐窝积液49例,其中双侧积液7例,左侧积液18例,右侧积液24例。积液于治疗后1～4周内消退。患者治疗恢复时间与治疗前患髋颈前间隙厚度、患髋前隐窝液暗区宽度等相关。[结论]高频超声检查可以清晰地显示小儿髋关节暂时性滑膜炎健髋的组织层次及患髋的结构变化,有利于该病的客观诊断及病情估计。     

膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎的影像学诊断

目的 探讨膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎(PVNS)的影像学表现。方法 回顾分析9例经手术及病理证实的色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎影像学资料并进行总结。9例膝关节病变均行MR检查，其中3例增强扫描；X线平片检查6例；CT平扫5例。结果 (1)X线表现：6例中关节间隙5例正常，1例增宽；股骨髁破坏1例；胫骨平台破坏4例；共9个病灶，其中7个病灶周围见硬化环。(2)CT表现：5例PVNS均显示关节腔积液；股骨髁合并胫骨平台破坏1例，胫骨平台单发或多发破坏4例，共12个病灶，所有病灶周围均见硬化环。2例合并胭窝内软组织密度肿块。(3)MRI表现：9例中弥漫型7例，局灶型2例。7例弥漫型PVNS均见关节腔积液，其中3例髌上囊积液中见低信号结节，3例前、后交叉韧带表面可见不规则增厚的低信号滑膜覆盖，6例伴有股骨髁或胫骨平台骨质破坏，共15个病灶，其中13个病灶周围绕以低信号硬化环。3例增强扫描显示增厚的滑膜和结节均明显强化。2例局灶型PVNS表现为单发性肿块伴关节腔积液。结论 膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎的MRI表现较CT、X线表现具有特征性，能够作出正确诊断。     

高频彩色多普勒超声在初诊类风湿关节炎患者膝关节滑膜病变中的应用价值

目的 应用高频彩色多普勒超声观察类风湿性关节炎(RA)患者膝关节滑膜及其血管增生性病变的情况,评价超声对RA膝关节病变的辅助诊断价值.方法 顺序纳入2009年10月至2010年10月在卫生部北京医院门诊就诊,符合中华医学会风湿病学分会RA诊治指南诊断标准[1]的患者41例(RA组),其中男11例,女30例.选择性别构成、年龄与RA组匹配的同期健康志愿者41名为对照组.采用高频彩色多普勒超声对RA组与对照组的膝关节髌上囊液体厚度、滑膜增生及血流情况,测定滑膜内动脉血流峰值流速(PSV)、舒张末期流速(EDV)、阻力指数(RI)和静脉血流速度.统计学方法采用组间t检验.结果 41例RA患者82个膝关节中,共有75个膝关节滑膜不同程度增厚(>2 mm),占91.46%,滑膜厚度为2.2～19.7(6.3±3.4) mm.其中0级血流占18.67%(14/75),1级血流占29.33%(22/75),2级血流占45.33%(34/75),3级血流占6.67%(5/75);动脉血流:PSV为(10.82±3.71) cm/s,EDV为(3.86±1.12) cm/s,RI为0.61±0.07;静脉平均血流速度:(2.72±1.02) cm/s.69个膝关节周围滑囊可见不同程度的积液,占84.15%,积液前后径2.4～16.1(6.9±3.2) mm.对照组未见滑囊积液及血流信号;无膝关节滑膜增厚,滑膜厚度为1.2～1.8(1.4±0.4) mm,与RA组比较,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05).结论 高频彩色多普勒超声能较为客观准确地检测RA患者膝关节增厚滑膜的形态结构、厚度、滑膜内部增生血管的血流和滑囊积液等病变情况,因此,可将其作为临床判断初诊RA患者膝关节滑膜病变程度和疗效观察的首选检查方法.

Abstract：

Objective To investigate the value of high frequency and color Doppler ultrasonography in detection of synovitis and the intra-articular vascularization in the knee joint of patients with newly-diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA).Methods Forty-one patients (30 women, 11 men) with newly-diagnosed RA were recruited to a cross sectional study(RA group).Forty-one age and gender-matched healthy volunteers were used as control group.The thickness of hydatid fluid, synovium hyperplasia, color flow imaging, peak systolic velocity(PSV), end diastolic velocity(EDV), resistance index(RI), venous blood flow and intra-articular perfusion were evaluated by high frequency and color Doppler ultrasonography.Results Totally 91.46% knee joints with synovial hyperplasia(>2 mm) were found in 41 patients with RA(75/82 knee joints),and the thickness of the synovial membrane was 2.2-19.7 mm (average 6.3±3.4 mm). In aspect of blood flow,the percentage of 0 to 3 grade were 18.67%(14/75), 29.33%(22/75),45.33 %(34/75) and 6.67%(5/75), respectively;the results of arterial blood were indicated with PSV (10.82±3.71 cm/s),EDV(3.86±1.12 cm/s)and RI (0.61±0.07),while the average of venous blood velocity was 2.72±1.02 cm/s.Joint effusion was found in 69 joints (84.15%)with the anteroposterior diameter 2.4-16.1 mm( average 6.9±3.2 mm).The thickness of synovial membrane was 1.2-1.8 mm (average 1.4±0.4 mm) and no significant difference were observed in joint effusion, signal of blood flow and thickness of synovial membrane in the control group.Conclusions High frequency and power Doppler ultrasonography may be a valuable and optimal clinical tool to accurately and objectively detect synovial hyperplasia, vascular pannus formation and joint effusion in the knee joint of patients with RA     

关节镜结合放射治疗膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎

[目的]探讨采用关节镜结合放射治疗膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎的方法及其临床应用价值。[方法]2000年1月～2003年7月,共收治14例膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎患者,采用关节镜下常规器械加双极射频进行关节内病变切除,术后弥漫性色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎辅以放疗,13例通过10～45个月的随访,了解患膝活动度、疼痛、肿胀情况。[结果]13例随访患者,术前国际膝关节评分委员会(IKDC)膝关节功能主观评分为(58.7±6.4)分,最后随访时,IKDC膝关节功能主观评分为(86.5±5.7)分。[结论]通过关节镜能完成膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎滑膜较彻底切除,对弥漫性膝关节色素沉着绒毛结节性滑膜炎辅以术后放疗是一种有效方法。