J Ultrasound Med. 2021 Jun 25. doi: 10.1002/jum.15766. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To compare musculoskeletal changes on a physical examination (PE), ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the hands and wrists of patients with Chikungunya fever (CF).
METHODS: The sample consisted of 30 patients in the chronic phase of CF. The sites analyzed were the interphalangeal (IP), metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and wrist/mediocarpal (WMC) joints and periarticular soft tissue. The interval between the PE and imaging tests was 7 days, and the interval between US and MRI was 2 days. The kappa coefficient was calculated to estimate the agreement between the PE and US and MRI findings and between the US and MRI findings.
RESULTS: Significant agreement was observed between PE and US in the diagnosis of synovitis. The only statistically significant agreement between US and MRI was the finding of flexor tenosynovitis; the agreement was moderate.
CONCLUSIONS: US has great potential for use in diagnosing synovitis suspected based on a PE. The limited agreement observed between US and MRI, in turn, may suggest a complementary role of these methods.
PMID:34170018 | DOI:10.1002/jum.15766
