DOPPLER SONOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF SYNOVIAL VASCULARIZATION IN A PATIENT WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS TREATED WITH LEUKOCYTAPHERESIS

[Case Report]

DOPPLER SONOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF SYNOVIAL VASCULARIZATION
IN A PATIENT WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS TREATED
WITH LEUKOCYTAPHERESIS

YUKIKO KANNO, HIROKO KOBAYASHI, EIJI SUZUKI,
HARUYO IWADATE, TOMOMI SASAJIMA, HIROSHI WATANABE
and HIROMASA OHIRA

The Second Department of Internal Medicine, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, 1 Hikarigaoka, Fukushima, 960-1295, Japan

(Received December4, 2006, accepted August 13, 2008)

Abstract: Abstract : Synovial vascularization in metacarpophalangeal joints of a patient with rheumatoid arthritis treated with leukocytapheresis (LCAP) was evaluated by Doppler sonography. After the treatment with LCAP, evaluation with American College of Rheumatology core set showed improvement, and the levels of C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A protein decreased. Power Doppler sonography demonstrated a reduction of color flow signals of the joints, and spectral Doppler sonography demonstrated an increase in vascular resistant, indicating a reduction of vessel's permeability. This is the first report evaluating a synovial vascularization and blood flow of the joints by Doppler sonography before and after LCAP therapy. Doppler sonography might be one of the useful methods for evaluating the therapeutic response of LCAP.

Key words: Doppler sonography, Leukocytapheresis (LCAP), Rheumatoid arthritis, Synovial vascularization, Vascular resistance

菅野有紀子，小林浩子，鈴木英二，岩舘治代，佐々島朋美，渡辺浩志，大平弘正

Corresponding author: Yukiko Kanno
E-mail: ykanno@fmu.ac.jp
http:// fmu.ac.jp/home/lib/F-igaku/
http://www.sasappa.co.jp/online//