Imaging in rheumatoid arthritis: options, uses and optimization

Recent advances in imaging technology are dramatically changing the approach to patients with inflammatory arthritis. Conventional radiography is still the major imaging modality used to evaluate patients with rheumatoid arthritis in daily clinical practice. In the last decade, several investigations have shown the diagnostic ability of MRI and ultrasound to rectify the traditional approach to early diagnosis and disease activity monitoring. This review will summarize the options, uses and optimization of these imaging modalities with a special focus on ultrasound, which is currently the most promising tool to change the paradigms in both early diagnosis and therapy monitoring of rheumatoid arthritis.