ABSTRACT
This study aimed to perform an overview of how ultrasound (US) is being used, implemented, and applied in rheumatologic centers in Latin America (LA). A retrospective, multicenter 1-year experience study was undertaken. Eighteen centers from eight countries were involved. The following information were collected: demographic data, indication to perform an US examination, physician that required the examination, and the anatomical region required for the examination. A total of 7167 patients underwent an US examination. The request for US examinations came most frequently from their own institution (5981 (83.45 %)) than from external referral (1186 (16.55 %)). The services that more frequently requested an US examination were rheumatology 5154 (71.91 %), followed by orthopedic 1016 (14.18 %), and rehabilitation 375 (5.23 %). The most frequently scanned area was the shoulder in 1908 cases (26.62 %), followed by hand 1754 (24.47 %), knee 1518 (21.18 %), ankle 574 (8.01 %), and wrist 394 (5.50 %). Osteoarthritis was the most common disease assessed (2279 patients (31.8 %)), followed by rheumatoid arthritis (2125 patients (29.65 %)), psoriatic arthritis (869 patients (12.1 %)), painful shoulder syndrome (545 (7.6 %)), connective tissue disorders (systemic sclerosis 339 (4.7 %), polymyositis/dermatomyositis 107 (1.4 %), Sjögren's syndrome 60 (0.8 %), and systemic lupus erythematosus 57 (0.8 %)). US evaluation was more frequently requested for diagnostic purposes (3981 (55.5 %)) compared to follow-up studies (2649 (36.9 %)), research protocols (339 (4.73 %)), and invasive guided procedures (198 (2.76 %)). US registered increasing applications in rheumatology and highlighted its positive impact in daily clinical practice. US increases the accuracy of the musculoskeletal clinical examination, influence the diagnosis, and the disease management.
Subject(s)
Rheumatic Diseases/diagnostic imaging , Rheumatology/methods , Ultrasonography/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Humans , Latin America , Male , Middle Aged , Referral and Consultation , Retrospective Studies , Young AdultABSTRACT
Ultrasound is outstripping other diagnostic imaging techniques in the evaluation of osteoarthritis (OA). Due to its sub-millimetric resolution, ultrasound has the ability to detect minimal morphostructural abnormalities, even from preclinical or asymptomatic disease stages located in the main joint structures predominantly affected by OA: articular cartilage, synovial membrane, and subchondral bone. As of today, ultrasound has proven to be a useful tool for the detection of abnormalities occurring within soft tissues, including synovial hypertrophy, fluid accumulation, and synovial cysts, as well as bony abnormalities, such as osteophyte formation. Additionally, power Doppler signal correlated with histologic evidence of synovial membrane vascularization. In order to describe the ultrasonographic findings of OA, its utility, reliability, and validity as a diagnostic and monitoring tool, a critical review of the literature of hand, hip, and knee OA is provided.