The OMERACT Ultrasound Group: status of current activities and research directions

• Published in: Journal of rheumatology Vol. 34; no. 4; pp. 848 - 851
• Main Authors: WAKEFIELD, Richard J, D'AGOSTINO, Maria-Antonietta, MOLLER, Ingrid, PINEDA, Carlos, KLAUSER, Andrea, SZKUDLAREK, Marcin, TERSLEV, Lene, BALINT, Peter, BRUYN, George A. W, SWEN, Wijnand A. A, JOUSSE-JOULIN, Sandrine, KANE, David, IAGNOCCO, Annamaria, KOSKI, Juhani M, O'CONNOR, Philip, MILUTINOVIC, Sanja, CONAGHAN, Philip G, FILIPPUCCI, Emilio, BACKHAUS, Marina, SCHEEL, Alexander K, JOSHUA, Fredrick, NAREDO, Esperanza, SCHMIDT, Wolfgang A, GRASSI, Walter
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Toronto, ON The Journal of Rheumatology 01-04-2007; Journal of Rheumatology Publishing
• Subjects: Arthritis, Rheumatoid - diagnostic imaging; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical Research - organization & administration; Biomedical Research - trends; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Hand Joints - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Inflammatory joint diseases; Medical sciences; Observer Variation; Sensitivity and Specificity; Severity of Illness Index; Ultrasonics; Ultrasonography - trends; Sonography; Immunopathology; Image interpretation; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Autoimmune disease; Inflammatory joint disease; Joint; Hand; ULTRASONOGRAPHY VALIDITY RELIABILITY INFLAMMATORY ARTHRITIS; Validity; Chronic; Intraindividual comparison; Inflammatory arthritis; Rheumatoid arthritis; Interindividual comparison; Echography; Reliability; Ultrasound
• ISSN: 0315-162X; 1499-2752

Ultrasound (US) is a relatively new imaging modality in rheumatology that offers great potential as a diagnostic and management
tool. In 2004, an OMERACT Ultrasound Special Interest Group was formed to address the metric qualities of US as a potential
outcome measure. A preliminary systematic review highlighted the deficiencies in the literature, particularly with regard
to the reliability of interpreting and acquiring images; as a consequence, a number of exercises were proposed to address
these issues. This report describes a series of iterative studies that have resulted in improved intra- and inter-reader reliability
for detecting and scoring synovitis from both static and real-time images of the hand joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
The reliability of acquiring images was also enhanced using standardized positions. Future studies will assess the value of
US in clinical trials.