Imaging in the diagnosis and management of peripheral psoriatic arthritis

Abstract

Psoriatic arthritis is a heterogenous disease affecting peripheral and axial joints, tendons, ligaments, and their insertions, in addition to the skin and the nails. The complexity of the involved structures has puzzled clinicians trying to understand the underlying pathology that leads to symptoms in order to choose the appropriate medications with different modes of actions. Imaging, mainly ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging, allows of accurate detection of inflammatory changes in the musculoskeletal structures, which helps to avoid false positive and negative assessments. The linking of different anatomical structures' involvement using imaging also provides insights into the pathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis. In this review, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging will be discussed in depth with regard to their use in the field of peripheral psoriatic arthritis, with a focus on the literature from the last 4 years and recent advances.

Keywords: Diagnosis; MRI; Pathogenesis; Prognosis; Psoriatic arthritis; Ultrasound.