Reliability assessment of ultrasound muscle echogenicity in patients with rheumatic diseases: Results of a multicenter international web-based study

ObjectivesTo investigate the inter/intra-reliability of ultrasound (US) muscle echogenicity in patients with rheumatic diseases.MethodsForty-two rheumatologists and 2 radiologists from 13 countries were asked to assess US muscle echogenicity of quadriceps muscle in 80 static images and 20 clips from 64 patients with different rheumatic diseases and 8 healthy subjects. Two visual scales were evaluated, a visual semi-quantitative scale (0–3) and a continuous quantitative measurement (“VAS echogenicity,” 0–100). The same assessment was repeated to calculate intra-observer reliability. US muscle echogenicity was also calculated by an independent research assistant using a software for the analysis of scientific images (ImageJ). Inter and intra reliabilities were assessed by means of prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted Kappa (PABAK), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and correlations through Kendall’s Tau and Pearson’s Rho coefficients.ResultsThe semi-quantitative scale showed a moderate inter-reliability [PABAK = 0.58 (0.57–0.59)] and a substantial intra-reliability [PABAK = 0.71 (0.68–0.73)]. The lowest inter and intra-reliability results were obtained for the intermediate grades (i.e., grade 1 and 2) of the semi-quantitative scale. “VAS echogenicity” showed a high reliability both in the inter-observer [ICC = 0.80 (0.75–0.85)] and intra-observer [ICC = 0.88 (0.88–0.89)] evaluations. A substantial association was found between the participants assessment of the semi-quantitative scale and “VAS echogenicity” [ICC = 0.52 (0.50–0.54)]. The correlation between these two visual scales and ImageJ analysis was high (tau = 0.76 and rho = 0.89, respectively).ConclusionThe results of this large, multicenter study highlighted the overall good inter and intra-reliability of the US assessment of muscle echogenicity in patients with different rheumatic diseases

Clinical efficacy of ultrasound-guided hyaluronic acid injections in patients with supraspinatus tendon tear

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of ultrasound (US)-guided soft tissue adapted biocompatible hyaluronic acid (STABHA) injections in the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa of patients with supraspinatus tendon tear. Methods: In this prospective study, patients with a symptomatic partial-thickness or small full-thickness supraspinatus tendon tear, diagnosed by US, were consecutively enrolled. Patients received one injection at baseline visit and one after 2 weeks and performed rehabilitation therapy. Clinical assessment was performed with visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain, Constant-Murley Scale (CMS), and patient reported efficacy on a 0-4 Likert scale. Patients were examined at baseline, at week 2 and at week 12. Results: Thirty patients were enrolled. Sixteen (53.3%) and 19 (63.3%) patients reported significant improvement at week 12 in pain and function, respectively. Reduction in VAS pain was statistically significant both at week 2 and at week 12 in comparison with baseline visit (mean-difference -27.2 and -36.8, respectively, p<0.01). The same trend was observed with CMS (mean-difference 17.7 and 19.8, respectively, p<0.01). At week 12, 18 patients (60.0%) reported a subjective improvement. At week 12, in non-responders (n=14) US detected inflammatory changes and/or progression of tendon tear in 7 (50.0%) patients and no relevant changes in 7 (50.0%). Conclusions: US-guided STABHA injections followed by rehabilitation therapy were found effective in improving both pain and shoulder function at the 12-week follow-up. In half of the non-responders, US allowed the detection of US findings responsible for treatment failure

Ultrasound imaging in rheumatoid arthritis

Over the last decades, ultrasound (US) has undergone a dramatic evolution in the field of inflammatory joint diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is probably the pathology that has most benefited from this development, both in terms of early diagnosis and monitoring of disease activity. The RA-induced morpho-structural changes can be effectively detected and measured by US, and US findings represent an additional advantage over clinical and laboratory evaluation, showing the face of the disease (i.e., proliferative synovitis) and revealing its aggressive behavior (i.e., presence of bone erosions not detectable by conventional radiography). The present review provides an overview of the main studies focusing on the value of US in the assessment of the patients with RA, and discussing the elementary lesions detectable by US (synovitis, bone erosion, cartilage damage, tenosynovitis and tendon damage), the scoring systems currently available and the scanning protocols in definite clinical settings (undifferentiated arthritis, early and long standing RA)

Hip involvement in patients with calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease: potential and limits of musculoskeletal ultrasound

OBJECTIVES: To preliminarily explore the diagnostic potential of ultrasound (US) in detecting calcium pyrophosphate crystal (CPP) deposits at the hip joint in a cohort of patients with calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD) which were previously evaluated by conventional radiography (CR); to assess the sensitivity and specificity as well as the agreement between US and CR in the evaluation of hip CPP crystal deposits. DESIGN: Fifty consecutive patients with "definite" CPPD and 40 age/sex/body mass index-matched disease controls who had undergone hip CR within the previous six months were enrolled. Bilateral hip US examination was carried out by one of the authors (A.D.M) to assess the presence of CCP crystal deposits at the acetabular labrum fibrocartilage and at femoral head's hyaline cartilage. Two independent radiologists evaluated the presence of hip CPP crystal deposits on CR in both groups. RESULTS: US findings indicative of CPP crystal deposits were found in at least one hip in 45 out of 50 (90.0%) patients with CPPD, in 73 out of 100 (73.0%) hips. CPP crystal deposits were more frequently found at the acetabular labrum fibrocartilage than at femoral head's hyaline cartilage (72% and 17% of the hips in CPPD patients, respectively). US and CR sensitivity was 90% and 86% whereas US and CR specificity was 85% and 90%, respectively. Total agreement between the US and CR findings was 77.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide new evidence supporting US as a first-line, sensitive, safe and reliable imaging technique in detecting CPP crystal deposits at hip level

Reliability assessment of ultrasound muscle echogenicity in patients with rheumatic diseases: Results of a multicenter international web-based study

Objectives: To investigate the inter/intra-reliability of ultrasound (US) muscle echogenicity in patients with rheumatic diseases. Methods: Forty-two rheumatologists and 2 radiologists from 13 countries were asked to assess US muscle echogenicity of quadriceps muscle in 80 static images and 20 clips from 64 patients with different rheumatic diseases and 8 healthy subjects. Two visual scales were evaluated, a visual semi-quantitative scale (0-3) and a continuous quantitative measurement ("VAS echogenicity," 0-100). The same assessment was repeated to calculate intra-observer reliability. US muscle echogenicity was also calculated by an independent research assistant using a software for the analysis of scientific images (ImageJ). Inter and intra reliabilities were assessed by means of prevalence-adjusted bias-adjusted Kappa (PABAK), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and correlations through Kendall's Tau and Pearson's Rho coefficients. Results: The semi-quantitative scale showed a moderate inter-reliability [PABAK = 0.58 (0.57-0.59)] and a substantial intra-reliability [PABAK = 0.71 (0.68-0.73)]. The lowest inter and intra-reliability results were obtained for the intermediate grades (i.e., grade 1 and 2) of the semi-quantitative scale. "VAS echogenicity" showed a high reliability both in the inter-observer [ICC = 0.80 (0.75-0.85)] and intra-observer [ICC = 0.88 (0.88-0.89)] evaluations. A substantial association was found between the participants assessment of the semi-quantitative scale and "VAS echogenicity" [ICC = 0.52 (0.50-0.54)]. The correlation between these two visual scales and ImageJ analysis was high (tau = 0.76 and rho = 0.89, respectively). Conclusion: The results of this large, multicenter study highlighted the overall good inter and intra-reliability of the US assessment of muscle echogenicity in patients with different rheumatic diseases