A Study Comparing Radiography and MRI on Wrist Joints in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective To study the diagnostic value of X\|ray film and MRI on wrist joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods Eight cases of wrist joints with RA and one normal wrist joint examined by radiograph and MRI were comparatively studied. Results Of 8 cases during the study,on radiograph all showed swelling soft tissues,6 cases showed bone cortical decalication,bone erosions,joint swollens and 2 cases had normal findings;On MRI all demonstrated different size and extent of synovitis,pannus and tenosynovitis and erosions,but the disruption of the cortex was diffcult to assess.Conclusion MRI yields excellent information about inflammatory process such as synovitis,joint effusions and tenosynovitis,and is more sensitive markers of early arthritis than X\|ray film and appears to be a useful diagnostic tool with suspected early arthritis and active arthritis. [