The use of musculoskeletal ultrasound in a rheumatology outpatient clinic
| Autor: | Annacarla Finucci, Eleonora Ricci, Iolanda Maria Rutigliano, Annamaria Iagnocco, Fulvia Ceccarelli, V. Iorgoveanu, Guido Valesini, Elena Cravotto, Carlo Perricone, Chiara Scirocco, Angelica Gattamelata |
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| Předmět: |
Male
medicine.medical_specialty Acoustics and Ultrasonics Rome Specialty MEDLINE Musculoskeletal ultrasound Osteoarthritis Ambulatory Care Facilities Rheumatology Rheumatic Diseases Internal medicine Epidemiology medicine Humans Outpatient clinic Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging Muscle Skeletal Ultrasonography Radiological and Ultrasound Technology business.industry Reproducibility of Results Middle Aged medicine.disease Rheumatoid arthritis Physical therapy Female Joints business |
| Zdroj: | Europe PubMed Central |
| Popis: | Introduction: Musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) represents a valid, reliable and sensitive-to-change tool for the evaluation of patients suffering from rheumatic conditions. This method demonstrates a wide applicability and availability, finding place in the clinical practice in rheumatology outpatient clinic. Aim: To perform an epidemiological evaluation related to the use of US in a university rheumatology outpatient clinic. Material and methods: During a 3-month period, data concerning consecutive patients attending to the US Unit of Department of Rheumatology, Sapienza University of Rome were registered. We collected the demographic data, the diagnosis, the reason for the US examination, the examined joints, as well as the requesting physicians’ specialty. Results: In the October-December 2013 period, 572 patients (M/F 137/435; mean age±SD 55.2±15.8 years) were registered. The US examination was more frequently requested for the following diseases: rheumatoid arthritis (29.5%), osteoarthritis (10.6%), spondyloarthritis (9.1%), and connective tissue diseases (8.9%). In 239 of cases (41.8%), the US evaluation was requested for other indications. The US evaluation was requested slightly more frequently for monitoring (55.7%) compared to diagnosis (44.3%). The requesting physician was a rheumatologist in the majority of the cases (80.6%). The most frequent requested were the hand joints (28.9%) and wrists (23.3%). Conclusions: US examinations are most frequently used in the evaluation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and mainly to monitor the disease. The exam is requested mostly by rheumatologists. The hand joints and wrists were the most frequently evaluated. |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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