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Current Medical Imaging

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ISSN (Print): 1573-4056
ISSN (Online): 1875-6603

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Review Article

A Systematic Approach to Diagnosing Arthritis Based on Radiological Imaging

Author(s): Kyu-Chong Lee, Kyung-Sik Ahn*, Chang Ho Kang, Suk Joo Hong, Baek Hyun Kim and Euddeum Shim

Volume 18, Issue 11, 2022

Published on: 05 July, 2022

Article ID: e280422204165 Pages: 20

DOI: 10.2174/1573405618666220428100951

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Abstract

Radiology plays a key role in the diagnosis of arthritis. We herein suggest an algorithmic approach to diagnosing arthritis. First, the number of joint involvements is reviewed. Monoarticular arthritis includes septic arthritis, pigmented villonodular synovitis, and synovial chondromatosis. Second, polyarticular arthritis can be categorized by its characteristics: erosive, productive, and mixed. Erosive disease includes rheumatoid arthritis, hemophilia, and amyloidosis, while productive disease includes osteoarthritis and hemochromatosis. Third, mixed diseases are subcategorized by symmetricity. Ankylosing spondylitis and inflammatory bowel disease related arthritis affect joints symmetrically, while psoriatic arthritis, reactive arthritis, and crystalline arthropathy are asymmetric. Adjacent soft tissue density, periostitis, and bone density are ancillary findings that can be used as additional differential diagnostic clues. The final step in identifying the type of arthritis is to check whether the location is a site frequently affected by one particular disease over another. This systematic approach would be helpful for radiologists in diagnosing arthritis.

Keywords: Infectious arthritis, Pigmented villonodular synovitis, Synovial chondromatosis, Rheumatoid arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Spondylarthritis, Crystal Arthropathies.

Graphical Abstract

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