Chi-Ching Chang

Pathology associated to the Baker's cysts: a musculoskeletal ultrasound study

The purpose of this study was to know the pathology associated with Bakers cyst (BC) in a rheumatology clinic and to evaluate the incidence, characteristics, and complications of BC. We reviewed the rheumatology ultrasound laboratory charts of patients with BC from Oct 2006 through Dec 2008. Demographic and disease data were also collected. Of the 1,120 patients who underwent ultrasound studies, 145 (12.9%) were found to have 180 BCs. The associated diseases were as follows: 91 (50.6%) osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, 37 (20.6%) rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 25 (13.9%) gout, 14 (7.8%) seronegative spondyloarthropathy (SpA), and 13 (7.2%) pyrophosphate arthropathy. We found ruptured BCs in 12 patients, whose associated pathologies were in the following: four RA, four OA of the knee, two gout, one SpA, and one pyrophosphate arthropathy. The most frequent associated arthropathy of BCs was OA (50.6%), followed by RA (20.6%). However, in the cases of ruptured BC, the inflammatory pathology (66.7%) is more frequent than the degenerative one (33.3%).

Acupuncture-associated Listeria monocytogenes arthritis in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis.

Septic arthritis is a rare complication of acupuncture. We present a patient with rheumatoid arthritis who developed septic arthritis of the right knee after consecutive weekly sessions of acupuncture therapy for 3 weeks. The infection was localized by musculoskeletal sonography and magnetic resonance imaging, with culture of the synovial fluid aspirated from the joint yielding Listeria monocytogenes. The patient responded well to antibiotic treatment and regained joint mobility. A high index of suspicion for an infectious process is required for prompt diagnosis and treatment of acupuncture-induced joint infections in rheumatoid arthritis patients who might have additional risk factors for infection.

Evaluation of Calcium Pyrophosphate Dihydrate Deposition Disease by Ultrasound

Objective: Our aim was to characterize the ultrasonographic features of patients with calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) deposition disease, and compare X-ray and ultrasound in evaluating CPPD deposition disease. Methods: In this retrospective study, all 71 patients between 2004 and 2007 with CPPD deposition disease proved by microscopic synovial fluid analysis were enrolled. We collected and analyzed 38 patients of those, on whom both conventional X-ray and high-resolution ultrasound had been carried out. Results: All patients were elderly (i.e.＞65y/o) and mostly coexisted with osteoarthritis. The involvement of knee joint was the most common site. Popliteal cyst was detected in 9 of 71 patients. Synovial fluid analysis of 38 patients with CPPD deposition disease revealed that the average total white cell count was 25592.1±16697.8/mm^3, with significant neutrophil predominance. There was significant evidence that ultrasound was more reliable than X-ray in the diagnosis of CPPD deposition disease (p=0.002). Besides, there were no patients with CPPD deposition disease in whom X-rays suggested CPPD deposition disease, but for whom ultrasound results were negative. Conclusion: We found that bright stippled foci in the synovial fluid or around the articular region, the thin hyperechoic band parallel to the surface of the hyaline cartilage, and the calcification of fibrocartilage seen on ultrasound could represent CPPD deposits. Our data showed that ultrasound is a useful and important tool in the diagnostic investigation of patients with CPPD deposition disease.

Formation of numerous rice bodies: an unusual finding of adult-onset Still’s disease

Adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by high-spiking fever, arthritis, and an evanescent rash. The pattern of chronic arthritis is a universal feature of AOSD. However, chronic bursitis with the formation of numerous rice bodies is a very rare presentation in a patient with AOSD. To our knowledge, no case of formation of numerous rice bodies in AOSD has been reported thus far. We describe the case of a 28-year-old man with AOSD with rice bodies in his left shoulder joint.

A Retrospective Investigation of Ultrasound Findings in Patients with Shoulder Pain from One Center in Northern Taiwan

Objective: Research has shown that 15-30% of adults experience shoulder pain at some point during the course of their lives. The sensitivity and specificity of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) have been validated, showing that this tool can complement surgical findings and magnetic resonance imaging. We report ultrasound findings of patients with shoulder pain in rheumatological daily practice. Methods: The subject population for this retrospective study included 240 patients complaining of shoulder pain at the MSUS department of our rheumatology service between January 2010 and December 2012. The ultrasound examination included views of the rotator cuff, the long head of the biceps tendon, the subacromial-subdeltoid bursa, the acromioclavicular joint, and the glenohumeral joint. Results: Of the 240 patients, 140 were women and 100 were men, with ages ranging from 17 to 89 years and a mean age of 54.31 ± 14.64 years. Alterations of shoulder structures were detected in the supraspinatus tendon (76.2%), biceps tendon (62.4%), subscapularis tendon (22.9%), glenohumeral joint (20.4%), acromioclavicular joint (15.3%), subacromial-subdeltoid bursa (13.3%), and infraspinatous tendon (9.2%). Impingement (14.1%) and calcifications (8.2%) were also detected. Eight patients (3.3%) exhibited no sonographic evidence of any alteration. The sensitivity of the technique was confirmed by the finding of alterations in 96.7% of the cases. Conclusion: Although physical examination allows for a diagnostic approach in the treatment of shoulder pain, the technique is typically not accurate enough to ensure that the correct diagnosis is made. MSUS offered the precision necessary to detect the underlying pathology in 97% of the cases.

Sonographic Evaluation of Lower-limbs Entheses in Subclinical Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis

Objective: To survey the prevalence of entheseal abnormality in the lower limbs in subclinical patients undergoing hemodialysis by musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS), rate the severity of abnormalities using the Glasgow Ultrasound Enthesitis Scoring system (GUESS), and correlate the score with other clinical factors.Methods: Forty-eight subclinical patients who had undergone hemodialysis for at least 4 months were divided into 2 groups. The groups were compared for the total GUESS score, thickness score, erosion score, enthesophyte score, and bursitis score. We then assessed the correlations between these scores and the duration of dialysis, sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and levels of serum biomarkers.Results: The duration of hemodialysis was found to be significantly correlated with the total GUESS score (p＜0.001, r = 0.88) and enthesophyte score (p＜0.001, r = 0.71). No significant correlation was detected between the scores and the following variables: age; sex; BMI; calcium-phosphorus product; and serum levels of calcium, phosphorous, parathormone, uric acid, triglycerides, cholesterol, and C-reactive protein. The prevalence of bilateral lower limb enthesopathy, determined on the basis of grayscale musculoskeletal ultrasound examination, was 21.8%.Conclusion: Hemodialysis patients may develop lower limb enthesopathy, which worsens with increase in the duration of hemodialysis, even in the absence of obvious clinical symptoms or signs. MSUS should be more widely employed by clinicians for the early diagnosis of enthesopathy in subclinical hemodialysis patients.