[Ultrasound examination in rheumatoid arthritis]

Abstract

Musculoskeletal ultrasound in the clinical routine praxis increases the hit rate for the diagnosis of inflammatory joint diseases. Power Doppler ultrasound is helpful in the detection of subclinical synovitis in the small finger joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis; subclinical synovitis can lead to severe joint destruction. Rigorous clinical remission criteria result in lower synovitis detected by power Doppler ultrasound.