Are X-rays helpful in diagnosing RA?X-rays are very useful in making the diagnosis of the various forms of arthritis. They can help confirm doctors’ suspicions of rheumatoid arthritis and can enable doctors to find bone deformities, extra growths, thinned bone, bleached bone, or actual erosions of bone. Bone erosions are the most important findings in RA, as they are the hallmarks of this disease-causing process. One of the first signs of RA in a young person with early disease might not be erosions but blanching of the bone around the joints. This condition is called osteopenia. When it occurs around the joints, it is called periarticular osteopenia. Doctors look for this early on.
Are there other imaging techniques that might help the doctor diagnose RA?The plain X-ray film is really the best and least expensive way to diagnose RA. Other tests are good for ruling out specific problems that are of a greater magnitude and might require an extra look. However, the best imaging technique for RA is the basic X-ray.
What is an MRI?MRI stands for magnetic resonance imaging. It is the use of a magnet to get the atoms in the area being observed to vibrate in order to produce signals, which are translated into images on the computer. MRI is useful for determining the density of tissues. This very complicated and somewhat expensive test should be reserved for special situations. It is most effective for looking at the “soft” tissues like the brain and the spinal cord. While it can be used to look at tendons, capsules of the joints, and bone, generally the plain X-ray film is just as effective and less expensive.
What is a CAT scan?CAT stands for computerized axial tomography. CAT scans are an advanced type of X-ray involving the shooting of several X-rays from different planes and different vantage points around the area being viewed. The final image is viewed on a computer screen rather than on film.
What is a bone scan?The bone scan is another technique for the imaging of bone problems. A radioactive substance is injected into the patient’s arm. This substance sticks to bone and can be seen on an X-ray. Doctors can detect new bone growth based on the distribution of the radioactive substance on the X-ray. New bone can grow as a result of injury, infection, or inflammation. Bone scans are very useful in some patients where the diagnosis is not really solid. The most common radioactive material used in this process is technetium-99 (Tc99).*27/141/5*