Evaluation of a simplified version of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score (RAMRIS) comprising 5 joints (RAMRIS5).

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to evaluate a simplified version of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Magnetic Resonance Imaging Score (RAMRIS) reduced to five joints of the hand (RAMRIS5). METHODS: 94 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (62 female; age 59±12 years, range 25-83 years; disease duration 60±90 months (median: 22 months, first quartile: 7 months, third quartile: 66 months) from the REMISSION PLUS study cohort who had complete files on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and Disease Activity Score of 28 joints (DAS28) and complete MRI of the clinical dominant hand at baseline and after one year under anti-rheumatic therapy (follow-up time 12.5±1.1 months) in a dedicated extremity MRI scanner at 0.2T were included in this retrospective study. RESULTS: There was a strong correlation between RAMRIS5 and the RAMRIS sum-score for all patients (r=0.87, p<0.001) at baseline and follow-up (r=0.87, p<0.001). Among the subscores there was a significant correlation between RAMRIS5 and RAMRIS-MCP (baseline: r=0.66, p<0.001; follow-up: r=0.74, p<0.001) as well as between RAMRIS5 and RAMRIS-wrist (baseline: r=0.72, p<0.001, follow-up: r=0.69, p<0.001) at baseline and follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: RAMRIS5, a modified shorter RAMRIS score based on five joints of the hand is a viable tool for semi-quantitative assessment of joint damage in RA. This abbreviated score might reduce the time needed for image analysis in MRI-controlled studies in RA and might facilitate the use of MRI in studies on therapy response assessment in RA.