Doppler sonographic analysis of synovial vascularization in knee joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: increased color flow signals and reduced vascular resistance

Abstract

Synovial vascularization was analyzed by power Doppler and spectral Doppler sonography in 42 knee joints of 28 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The synovial vessels with greater intensity of color flow signals demonstrated significantly lower indicators of vascular resistance – resistive index (P < 0.01) and pulsatility index (P < 0.01) – than those with lesser intensity. Consequently, an inverse correlation was observed between intensity of color flow signals and both resistive index (P < 0.01) and pulsatility index (P < 0.01).

Key words::

• Doppler sonography
• Knee joint
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Synovial vascularization
• Vascular resistance