Comparison of radiography and magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of hand osteoarthritis

Abstract

The article discusses the possibilities and search for the optimal concept of diagnosis of hand osteoarthritis (OA). The data of numerous studies with focus on the comparison of sensitivity and specificity of the main techniques in this type of pathology – standard radiography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are presented. Determination of the earliest symptoms of OA allows to predict the development of the disease and begin its therapy. The joint space narrowing due to the loss of articular cartilage is the earliest radiological symptom of OA, which is observed in the advanced stage of the disease. MRI, unlike radiography, makes it possible to visualize the articular cartilage, fluid in the joint cavity, bone marrow edema and soft tissues, but it is more expensive and time-consuming method. At present the main difficulty lies in the absence of a standardized system for assessing the MRI hand OA manifestations, as well as insufficient number of investigations in this area.