SynthesisSao Paulo medical journal = Revista paulista de medicina2026
Synovitis detection in rheumatology: a systematic review and meta-analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging.
Synthesis in Sao Paulo medical journal = Revista paulista de medicina, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundSynovial tissue proliferation in the bare area of the joint is an early indicator of synovitis. Vascularization of the pannus helps differentiate between inactive and inflammatory processes, directly impacting therapeutic management. Synovitis can be diagnosed through clinical assessment, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); however, uncertainty remains regarding the optimal imaging modality.
objectiveThis study aimed to determine the accuracy of ultrasonography with microbubble contrast and contrast-enhanced MRI in diagnosing synovitis, irrespective of its etiology. In addition, the study aimed to determine the joints that were most accurately assessed for synovitis using microbubble ultrasound.
methodsElectronic searches were conducted in the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, SCOPUS, CINAHL, and Web of Science up to February 8, 2025, with additional screening of reference lists. Studies assessing diagnostic accuracy or detection rates of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and contrast-enhanced MRI for synovitis were included without restrictions on language or publication status. Two studies were selected after quality assessment using QUADAS-2, and eight studies were assessed using the RTI item bank methodology.
resultsDiagnostic accuracies of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (87%) and contrast-enhanced MRI (87.7%) were comparable. For knee evaluation, CEUS showed a higher detection rate (93.8%) than MRI (82.9%). Across different joints and underlying diseases, the detection rates were 81.9% and 88.3% for contrast-enhanced MRI. In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, MRI demonstrated a higher detection rate (96.2%) compared with ultrasound (67.2%). These findings indicate a similar overall diagnostic performance, although the limited number of included studies restricted generalizability.
conclusionCEUS demonstrated diagnostic accuracy comparable to contrast-enhanced MRI, except in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Given its low cost, portability, and favorable safety profile, CEUS may serve as a useful screening or follow-up tool for synovitis, pending validation in larger multicenter studies.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.