PURPOSE: Radiation synovectomy was developed for local treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. In this study, the long-term efficacy of radiation synovectomy was retrospectively evaluated in patients with osteoarthritis (activated arthrosis) of the digital joints using an algofunctional score. METHODS: Fifty-three digital joints in 29 patients (mean age 64.8 years) were treated by intra-articular injection of 169Er citrate. All joints were painful despite pharmacotherapy and showed an elevated blood pool pattern in a pretherapeutic three-phase bone scan, indicative for local synovitis. The patients were asked to classify their complaints with respect to different daily manual activities on a ten-step pain scale from 1 (total disability) to 10 (lack of any impairment) prior to and after treatment, with a mean follow-up of 41 months. Local signs of osteoarthritis such as joint swelling or pain were additionally evaluated and were scored from progression of complaints to excellent improvement based on patient self-evaluation. RESULTS: All patients reported a pronounced improvement in their manual activities. The mean total score of 4.73+/-0.58 for all activities prior to treatment increased significantly to 6.79+/-0.47 after radiation synovectomy (p<0.05). The best results were obtained in the thumb base joints, whereas distal interphalangeal joints were frequently resistant to therapy. CONCLUSION: Radiation synovectomy is highly effective in digital joint osteoarthritis with concomitant local synovitis.
PURPOSE: Radiation synovectomy was developed for local treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. In this study, the long-term efficacy of radiation synovectomy was retrospectively evaluated in patients with osteoarthritis (activated arthrosis) of the digital joints using an algofunctional score. METHODS: Fifty-three digital joints in 29 patients (mean age 64.8 years) were treated by intra-articular injection of 169Er citrate. All joints were painful despite pharmacotherapy and showed an elevated blood pool pattern in a pretherapeutic three-phase bone scan, indicative for local synovitis. The patients were asked to classify their complaints with respect to different daily manual activities on a ten-step pain scale from 1 (total disability) to 10 (lack of any impairment) prior to and after treatment, with a mean follow-up of 41 months. Local signs of osteoarthritis such as joint swelling or pain were additionally evaluated and were scored from progression of complaints to excellent improvement based on patient self-evaluation. RESULTS: All patients reported a pronounced improvement in their manual activities. The mean total score of 4.73+/-0.58 for all activities prior to treatment increased significantly to 6.79+/-0.47 after radiation synovectomy (p<0.05). The best results were obtained in the thumb base joints, whereas distal interphalangeal joints were frequently resistant to therapy. CONCLUSION: Radiation synovectomy is highly effective in digital joint osteoarthritis with concomitant local synovitis.
Authors: Margit Szentesi; Zoltán Nagy; Pal Géher; István Papp; Willm Uwe Kampen Journal: Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging Date: 2019-05-25 Impact factor: 9.236
Authors: F M van der Zant; Z N Jahangier; J D Moolenburgh; W A A Swen; R O Boer; J W G Jacobs Journal: Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging Date: 2006-09-02 Impact factor: 9.236
Authors: W U Kampen; B Boddenberg-Pätzold; M Fischer; M Gabriel; R Klett; M Konijnenberg; E Kresnik; H Lellouche; F Paycha; L Terslev; C Turkmen; F van der Zant; L Antunovic; E Panagiotidis; G Gnanasegaran; T Kuwert; T Van den Wyngaert Journal: Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging Date: 2021-10-20 Impact factor: 9.236