Ultrasound definition of tendon damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Results of a OMERACT consensus-based ultrasound score focussing on the diagnostic reliability
Abstract
The article presents a new ultrasound scoring system in tendon damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This work has been done on behalf of OMERACT Ultrasound Subtask Group.
First, a definition of tendon damage in ultrasound picture was defined and this definition was accepted among 35 experts in ultrasonography. A questionnaire-method and Delphi method was used.
Then, a scoring system was suggested and accepted. Finally, this scoring system was tested for the intraobserver and intraobserver reliability according OMERACT methodology.
Intraobserver and interobserver agreement was very good to excellent. This new scoring system has 3 grades: 0-2, where 0 is no damage, 1 means partial rupture and 2- complete rupture of the tendon.
The scoring system definition was published including an atlas of pathologies in online version.