OBJECTIVE: To standardize ultrasound (US) in enthesitis. METHODS: An initial Delphi exercise was undertaken to define US-detected enthesitis and its core components. These definitions were subsequently tested on static images taken from spondyloarthritis patients in order to evaluate their reliability. RESULTS: Excellent agreement (>80%) was obtained for including hypoechogenicity, increased thickness of the tendon insertion, calcifications, enthesophytes, erosions, and Doppler activity as core elementary lesions of US-detected enthesitis. US definitions were subsequently obtained for each elementary component. On static images, the intraobserver reliability showed a high degree of variability for the detection of elementary lesions, with kappa coefficients ranging from 0.13-1. The interobserver kappa values were variable, with the lowest kappa coefficient for enthesophytes (0.24) and the highest coefficient for Doppler activity at the enthesis (0.63). CONCLUSION: This is the first consensus-based US definition of enthesitis and its elementary components and the first step performed to ensure a higher degree of homogeneity and comparability of results between studies and in daily clinical work.
OBJECTIVE: To standardize ultrasound (US) in enthesitis. METHODS: An initial Delphi exercise was undertaken to define US-detected enthesitis and its core components. These definitions were subsequently tested on static images taken from spondyloarthritispatients in order to evaluate their reliability. RESULTS: Excellent agreement (>80%) was obtained for including hypoechogenicity, increased thickness of the tendon insertion, calcifications, enthesophytes, erosions, and Doppler activity as core elementary lesions of US-detected enthesitis. US definitions were subsequently obtained for each elementary component. On static images, the intraobserver reliability showed a high degree of variability for the detection of elementary lesions, with kappa coefficients ranging from 0.13-1. The interobserver kappa values were variable, with the lowest kappa coefficient for enthesophytes (0.24) and the highest coefficient for Doppler activity at the enthesis (0.63). CONCLUSION: This is the first consensus-based US definition of enthesitis and its elementary components and the first step performed to ensure a higher degree of homogeneity and comparability of results between studies and in daily clinical work.
Authors: Enrico M Zardi; Maria Elena Pipita; Chiara Giorgi; Antonella Afeltra; Nicola Maffulli; Francesco Franceschi Journal: In Vivo Date: 2019 Sep-Oct Impact factor: 2.155
Authors: L Ventura-Ríos; V Navarro-Compan; M Aliste; M Alva Linares; R Areny; M Audisio; A M Bertoli; T Cazenave; C Cerón; M E Díaz; M Gutiérrez; C Hernández; D A Navarta; C Pineda; G E Py; A M Reginato; J Rosa; D L Saaibi; O Sedano; C Solano; C Castillo-Gallego; S Falçao; E De Miguel Journal: Clin Rheumatol Date: 2015-07-22 Impact factor: 2.980