T2 Mapping as a New Method for Quantitative Assessment of Cartilage Damage in RA

Renner N, Kleyer A, Krönke G, Simon D, Söllner S, Rech J, Uder M, Janka RM, Schett G, Welsch G, Pachowsky M (2019)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2019

Journal

Journal of Rheumatology Journal of Rheumatology

DOI: 10.3899/jrheum.180728

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with damage of the articular cartilage and the periarticular bone. While imaging of bone damage has substantially improved in the last years, direct imaging of the articular cartilage of the hand joints in patients with RA is still challenging. METHODS: 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) was done in 30 RA patients and T2 relaxation times visualizing alteration in the collagen network and hydration of articular cartilage were mapped in six cartilage regions of the metacarpophalangeal joints 2 and 3. Values were related to autoantibody (anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA), rheumatoid factor (RF)) status, disease duration, disease activity as well as sex and age of the RA patients. RESULTS: T2 relaxation times could be reliably measured in the six regions of the metacarpophalangeal joints. Significantly higher relaxation times indicating more advanced cartilage alterations were observed in ACPA-positive (p=0.001-0.010) and RF-positive patients (p=0.013-0.025) as well as those with longer disease duration (>3 years; p=0.028-0.043). Current disease activity, sex and age did not influence T2 relaxation times. CONCLUSION: These data show that cartilage damage can be localized and quantified in the hand joints of RA patients by T2 mapping. Furthermore, ACPA and RF positivity as well as disease duration appear to be the crucial factors influencing cartilage damage.

Authors with CRIS profile

Nina Renner Professur für Unfallchirurgie Arnd Kleyer Department of Medicine 3 – Rheumatology and Immunology Gerhard Krönke Professur für Translationale Immunologie David Simon Department of Medicine 3 – Rheumatology and Immunology Stefan Söllner Unfallchirurgische Abteilung in der Chirurgischen Klinik Hans Jürgen Rech Department of Medicine 3 – Rheumatology and Immunology Michael Uder Lehrstuhl für Diagnostische Radiologie Rolf Matthias Janka Institute of Radiology Georg Schett Lehrstuhl für Innere Medizin III Milena Pachowsky Unfallchirurgische Abteilung in der Chirurgischen Klinik

Involved external institutions

Universitätsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE) DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Renner, N., Kleyer, A., Krönke, G., Simon, D., Söllner, S., Rech, J.,... Pachowsky, M. (2019). T2 Mapping as a New Method for Quantitative Assessment of Cartilage Damage in RA. Journal of Rheumatology. https://doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.180728

MLA:

Renner, Nina, et al. "T2 Mapping as a New Method for Quantitative Assessment of Cartilage Damage in RA." Journal of Rheumatology (2019).

BibTeX: Download