Magnetic resonance imaging of Palindromic Rheumatism

Abstract A 44-year-old man with intermittent asymmetric migratory oligoarthritis lasting the recent decade was admitted to our hospital. Considerable specific biomarkers for rheumatoid arthritis such as anti-agalactosyl IgG antibody are all negative. He was diagnosed as palindromic rheumatism (PR). Although hand X-rays showed no remarkable findings, hand magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detected pannus and bone erosion. PR is defined as the disease characterized by short-lasting attacks of acute oligoarthritis, without radiographic changes. To our knowledge, the findings of MRI for PR have not been previously described. We propose that MRI findings in patients with PR is useful tool to distinguish PR from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or other RA related diseases.

Published in Rheumatology International Journal - online: 29 July 2008

By: Satoko Ueda¹, Taro Horino¹ , Kaoru Arii¹, Tatsuhito Morita¹, Toshihiro Takao² and Kozo Hashimoto¹

(1) Department of Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nephrology, Kochi Medical School, Kohasu, Okoh-cho, Nankoku Kochi, 783-8505, Japan
(2) Division of Community Medicine, Department of Community Nursing, Kochi Medical School, Kohasu, Okoh-cho, Nankoku Kochi, 783-8505, Japan

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