[Rheumatoid arthritis of the hand : Part 2: Imaging].

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis can cause joint destruction, especially joints of the hands. Diagnosed at an early stage, which often includes imaging methods, can minimize structural joint damage and resulting disabilities as well as avoid systemic manifestations such as cardiovascular damage through rapid and continuous so-called targeted treatment approaches.
OBJECTIVE: The aim of this work is the systematic description and report of imaging findings in rheumatoid arthritis as the most common autoimmunologic rheumatologic disease, which is characterized by a typical pattern of synovitis of the hands.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Narrative review based on the current literature on the subject from the radiological and rheumatological point of view.
RESULTS: Inflammation of the hands represents the most frequently affected area of the body in rheumatoid arthritis. Taking into consideration the topology and typical synovitis patterns of the hands, differences between early and late stages are described. Knowledge regarding image-based morphological changes associated with this complex disease, especially in the hands, is important in the differential diagnosis, especially in early stages of the disease.
CONCLUSIONS: For the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis of the hands, the radiologist must be familiar with basic knowledge of arthritis in the hands to confidently analyze the typical patterns present in the diagnostic imaging at initial diagnosis and during the course of the disease, which serve as a guide for therapy decisions.