Image of the Month

The American College of Rheumatology has yet to endorse the use of the extremity MRI for RA. The organization issued a white paper 2 years ago on extremity MRI, indicating that more evidence was needed to demonstrate the validity of the technique for RA.

The International Society of Extremity MRI—which comprises rheumatologists and radiologists—currently is working on providing the ACR with enough data to review the white paper findings, according to Dr. Gaylis.

Extremity MRI. Top, carpal bone erosion; bottom, healed erosions after infliximab. Left are T1, right are STIR sequence.

The MRI images on the left (T1) and on the right (STIR) show erosions of the lunate and scaphoid bones.

A normal x-ray is shown for comparison. Photos courtesy Dr. Norman B. Gaylis/Dr. Steven Needell