There is insufficient evidence to support routine use of bone scans for evaluation of seropositive or seronegative inflammatory arthritis in the extremities following initial radiographs. Bone Scan Whole Body with SPECT or SPECT/CT Area of Interest When adding single-photon emission CT (SPECT), RA could be differentiated from osteoarthritis given the added information from tomographic images [14]. There is insufficient evidence to support routine use of bone scans with SPECT or SPECT/CT for evaluation of seropositive or seronegative inflammatory arthritis in the extremities following initial radiographs. CT Area of Interest With IV Contrast There is insufficient evidence to support the routine use of CT area of interest with IV contrast for the evaluation of seropositive or seronegative inflammatory arthritis in the extremities following initial radiographs. Although CT can show bony erosions and productive changes with high diagnostic confidence, the ability of CT to identify and characterize associated inflammatory soft tissue findings and bone marrow edema is limited. Newer techniques of iodine-dual-energy CT (DECT) mapping and high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT have shown promise in detection and quantification of periarticular/tenosynovial inflammation and bony changes respectively [15]. Further validation is needed; however, and these techniques are not widely used in clinical practice. CT Area of Interest Without and With IV Contrast There is insufficient evidence to support routine use of CT area of interest without and with IV for the evaluation of seropositive or seronegative inflammatory arthritis in the extremities following initial radiographs. As mentioned before, although CT can show bony erosions and productive changes with high diagnostic confidence, the ability of CT to identify and characterize associated inflammatory soft tissue findings and bone marrow edema is limited.
Chronic Extremity Joint Pain Suspected Inflammatory Arthritis Crystalline Arthritis or Erosive Osteoarthritis PCAs. There is insufficient evidence to support routine use of bone scans for evaluation of seropositive or seronegative inflammatory arthritis in the extremities following initial radiographs. Bone Scan Whole Body with SPECT or SPECT/CT Area of Interest When adding single-photon emission CT (SPECT), RA could be differentiated from osteoarthritis given the added information from tomographic images [14]. There is insufficient evidence to support routine use of bone scans with SPECT or SPECT/CT for evaluation of seropositive or seronegative inflammatory arthritis in the extremities following initial radiographs. CT Area of Interest With IV Contrast There is insufficient evidence to support the routine use of CT area of interest with IV contrast for the evaluation of seropositive or seronegative inflammatory arthritis in the extremities following initial radiographs. Although CT can show bony erosions and productive changes with high diagnostic confidence, the ability of CT to identify and characterize associated inflammatory soft tissue findings and bone marrow edema is limited. Newer techniques of iodine-dual-energy CT (DECT) mapping and high-resolution peripheral quantitative CT have shown promise in detection and quantification of periarticular/tenosynovial inflammation and bony changes respectively [15]. Further validation is needed; however, and these techniques are not widely used in clinical practice. CT Area of Interest Without and With IV Contrast There is insufficient evidence to support routine use of CT area of interest without and with IV for the evaluation of seropositive or seronegative inflammatory arthritis in the extremities following initial radiographs. As mentioned before, although CT can show bony erosions and productive changes with high diagnostic confidence, the ability of CT to identify and characterize associated inflammatory soft tissue findings and bone marrow edema is limited.