[Efficacy of radiation synovectomy in degenerative inflammatory and chronic inflammatory joint diseases].

Abstract

AIM:

Effect of radiosynovectomy (RS) should be evaluated both by subjective and objective parameters in patients with osteoarthritis and in patients with inflammatory joint disorders not caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

METHODS:

A total of 98 joints in 61 patients were investigated. Patients were divided into two groups. The first group included 35 patients with therapy-resistant effusions caused by severe osteoarthritis (46 joints). The second group consisted of 26 patients (52 joints) with ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis, undifferentiated spondylarthropathy, psoriatic arthritis, pigmented villo-nodular synovitis, and recurrent synovitis following surgery. Effect of RS was evaluated by a standardized questionnaire and quantified by T/B-ratios derived from blood pool images prior to and after RS.

RESULTS:

Within the first patient group suffering from osteoarthritis, 40% showed a good or excellent improvement of clinical symptoms, 51% were unchanged, and in 9% symptoms worsened. Similar results were found in the second patient group. The majority of unchanged results were small finger joints. In contrast, wrist and knee joints showed a better improvement. Good correlation between results of bone scan and patients subjective impression was found in 38% and 67% in the first and the second patient group, respectively.

CONCLUSION:

Radiosynovectomy might be an effective treatment in osteoarthritis and inflammatory joint disorders not caused by rheumatoid arthritis.

• Authors: S Kröger, J A Sawula, S Klutmann, W Brenner, K H Bohuslavizki, E Henze, M Clausen
• Journal: Nuklearmedizin. Nuclear medicine (Nuklearmedizin) Vol. 38 Issue 7 Pg. 279-84 ( 1999) ISSN: 0029-5566 [Print] Germany
• Vernacular Title: Wirksamkeit der Radiosynoviorthese bei degenerativ-entzündlichen und chronisch-entzündlichen Gelenkerkrankungen.
• PMID: 10599067 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Female
• Humans
• Inflammation
• Joint Diseases (diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Osteoarthritis (diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy)
• Radionuclide Imaging
• Synovial Membrane
• Treatment Outcome