Imaging detected tenosynovitis of metacarpophalangeal and wrist joints: an increasingly recognised characteristic of rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

Tenosynovitis is traditionally recognised at physical examination in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases, such as, e.g. psoriatic arthritis and (longstanding) rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The increasing use of sensitive imaging techniques (ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)) has recently revealed that subclinical tenosynovitis is prevalent in early RA and in patients in different phases of RA development (asymptomatic state, arthralgia, early arthritis). In this review, the recent findings on MRI-detected tenosynovitis and associations with RA development are highlighted, and an overview of the most reported inflamed tendon locations within the hand and wrist of patients in different disease phases is provided. The data presented show that tenosynovitis is one of the earliest inflammatory features in patients with imminent RA and associated with impairment of activities in daily life. The value of tenosynovitis as an outcome measure in RA is also discussed.