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Objectives: To compare the effect of treat-to-target-based escalations in conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) and biologics on clinical disease activity and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) inflammation in a rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cohort in clinical remission. Method: One-hundred patients with established RA, Disease Activity Score based on 28-joint count–C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) < 3.2, and no swollen joints (hereafter referred to as ‘in clinical remission’) who received csDMARDs underwent clinical evaluation and MRI of the wrist and second to fifth metacarpophalangeal joints every 4 months. They followed a 2 year MRI treatment strategy targeting DAS28-CRP ≤ 3.2, no swollen joints, and absence of MRI osteitis, with predefined algorithmic treatment escalation: first: increase in csDMARDs; second: adding a biologic; third: switch biologic. MRI osteitis and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) (co-primary outcomes) and MRI combined inflammation and Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) (key secondary outcomes) were assessed 4 months after treatment change and expressed as estimates of group differences. Statistical analyses were based on the intention-to-treat population analysed using repeated-measures mixed models. Escalation to first biologic compared to csDMARD escalation more effectively reduced MRI osteitis (difference between least squares means 1.8, 95% confidence interval 1.0–2.6), HAQ score (0.08, 0.03–0.1), MRI combined inflammation (2.5, 0.9–4.1), and SDAI scores (2.7, 1.9–3.5). Treat-to-target-based treatment escalations to biologics compared to escalation in csDMARDs more effectively improved MRI inflammation, physical function, and clinical disease activity in patients with established RA in clinical remission. Treatment escalation in RA patients in clinical remission reduces clinical and MRI-assessed disease activity. Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier: NCT01656278.

BACKGROUND: The metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a complication to overweight and obesity, which can be observed already in childhood. Ectopic lipid accumulation in muscle and liver has been shown to associate with the development of insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. Thus, the interaction between MetS and ectopic fat may offer clinical relevance.OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of MetS, or components hereof, and ectopic fat accumulation in liver and skeletal muscle tissue in children, as well as interactions between these.METHODS: Two-hundred-and-sixteen children and adolescents (95 boys) with overweight/obesity were investigated, as well as 47 controls (22 boys) with normal weight. The assessments included anthropometry, fasting blood biochemistry and blood pressure measurements. Liver and muscle lipid contents were assessed by proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy.RESULTS: We observed an odds ratio in girls with overweight/obesity of 12.2 (95% confidence interval: [3.8; 49.0]) for exhibiting MetS when hepatic steatosis was present, whereas no association was observed in boys with overweight/obesity (odds ratio 0.7 [0.2; 2.7]). The odds ratio of exhibiting MetS in the presence of muscular steatosis was 3.5 [1.4; 9.5] in girls with overweight/obesity and 1.0 [0.2; 5.6] in boys with overweight/obesity. Similar results were seen for girls with overweight/obesity exhibiting concurrent hepatic and muscular steatoses.CONCLUSION: Hepatic and muscular steatoses were associated with MetS among girls, but not among boys with overweight/obesity.

Conventional colonoscopy (CC) is the gold standard for colonic examinations. However, patient acceptance is not high. Patient acceptance is influenced by several factors, notably anticipation and experience. This has led to the assumption that patient acceptance would be higher in non-invasive examinations such as MR/CT colonography (MRC/CTC) and perhaps even higher without bowel preparation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient acceptance of MRC with fecal tagging versus CC.

Colorectal cancer will present itself as a bowel obstruction in 16-23% of all cases. However, not all obstructing tumors are malignant and the differentiation between a benign and a malignant tumor can be difficult. The purpose of our study was to determine whether fast dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging combined with MR colonography could be used to differentiate a benign from a malignant obstructing colon tumor.

The aim of this article is to review the published cases of nephrogenic systemic fibrosis (NSF) in Japan. The Japanese medical literature database and MedLine were searched using the keywords NSF and nephrogenic fibrosing dermopathy (January 2000 to March 2009). Reports in peer-reviewed journals and meeting abstracts were included, and cases with biopsy confirmation were selected. 14 biopsy-verified NSF cases were found. In seven of eight patients reported after the association between gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA) and NSF was proposed, GBCA administration was documented: five received only gadodiamide; two received both gadodiamide and gadopentetate dimeglumine. In four cases, the amounts of contrast agent were registered: two received only a single dose (0.1 mmol kg(-1) body weight) whereas the other two received 7-15 ml (the body weight was not disclosed) for each MR examination. Five patients had multiple injections of GBCA before NSF developed. Except for one patient in whom renal assessment was not reported, none of the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate >30 ml min(-1) 1.73 m(-2) and all received dialysis. 5 of the 8 patients (63%) in whom GBCA exposure was confirmed were treated with peritoneal dialysis. Skin lesion of the lower extremity was the first symptom in 12 patients (86%), whereas 2 patients had primarily symptoms from the upper extremity. In three cases, GBCA was administered even after onset of the NSF symptoms because of the physicians' lack of knowledge about the possible association between GBCA and NSF. NSF is found among Japanese end-stage renal failure patients even after examinations using a single dose.

OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of radiographic progression in a 2-year randomized, double-blind clinical study (CIMESTRA) of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Early RA patients (N=130) were treated with methotrexate, intra-articular betamethasone and cyclosporine/placebo-cyclosporine. Baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the wrist (wrist-only-group:N=130) or MRI of wrist and MCP-joints (wrist+MCP-group:N=89) (OMERACT RAMRIS), x-rays of hands, wrists and forefeet (Sharp/vdHeijde Score (TSS)), disease activity score (DAS28), anti-cyclic-citrullinated-peptide-antibodies (anti-CCP), HLA-DRB1-shared-epitope (SE) and smoking status were assessed. Multiple regression analysis was performed with delta-TSS (0-2 years) as dependent variable, and baseline DAS28, TSS, MRI bone oedema score, MRI synovitis score, MRI erosion score, anti-CCP, smoking, SE, age and gender as explanatory variables. RESULTS: Baseline values: median DAS28: 5.6 (range: 2.4-8.0); anti-CCP positive: 61%; radiographic erosions: 56%. At 2 years: DAS28: 2.0 (0.5-5.7), in DAS-remission: 56%, radiographic progression: 26% (wrist+MCP-group, similar for wrist-only-group). MRI bone oedema score was the only independent predictor of delta-TSS (wrist+MCP-group: coefficient=0.75 (95%CI: 0.56-0.97), p<0.00001; wrist-only-group: coefficient=0.56 (0.41-0.77), p<0.00001). Bone oedema score explained 41% of the variation in the progression of TSS (wrist+MCP-group), 25% in wrist-only-group, (Pearson's r=0.64 and r=0.50, respectively). The results were confirmed by sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: In a RCT aiming at remission in early RA patients, baseline RAMRIS MRI bone oedema score of MCP and wrist joints (and of wrist only) was the strongest independent predictor of radiographic progression in hands, wrists and forefeet after 2 years. MRI synovitis score, MRI erosion score, DAS28, anti-CCP, SE, smoking, age and gender were not independent risk factors Udgivelsesdato: 2008/4, OBJECTIVE: To identify predictors of radiographic progression in a 2-year randomized, double-blind clinical study (CIMESTRA) of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Early RA patients (N=130) were treated with methotrexate, intra-articular betamethasone and cyclosporine/placebo-cyclosporine. Baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the wrist (wrist-only-group:N=130) or MRI of wrist and MCP-joints (wrist+MCP-group:N=89) (OMERACT RAMRIS), x-rays of hands, wrists and forefeet (Sharp/vdHeijde Score (TSS)), disease activity score (DAS28), anti-cyclic-citrullinated-peptide-antibodies (anti-CCP), HLA-DRB1-shared-epitope (SE) and smoking status were assessed. Multiple regression analysis was performed with delta-TSS (0-2 years) as dependent variable, and baseline DAS28, TSS, MRI bone oedema score, MRI synovitis score, MRI erosion score, anti-CCP, smoking, SE, age and gender as explanatory variables. RESULTS: Baseline values: median DAS28: 5.6 (range: 2.4-8.0); anti-CCP positive: 61%; radiographic erosions: 56%. At 2 years: DAS28: 2.0 (0.5-5.7), in DAS-remission: 56%, radiographic progression: 26% (wrist+MCP-group, similar for wrist-only-group). MRI bone oedema score was the only independent predictor of delta-TSS (wrist+MCP-group: coefficient=0.75 (95%CI: 0.56-0.97), p<0.00001; wrist-only-group: coefficient=0.56 (0.41-0.77), p<0.00001). Bone oedema score explained 41% of the variation in the progression of TSS (wrist+MCP-group), 25% in wrist-only-group, (Pearson's r=0.64 and r=0.50, respectively). The results were confirmed by sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: In a RCT aiming at remission in early RA patients, baseline RAMRIS MRI bone oedema score of MCP and wrist joints (and of wrist only) was the strongest independent predictor of radiographic progression in hands, wrists and forefeet after 2 years. MRI synovitis score, MRI erosion score, DAS28, anti-CCP, SE, smoking, age and gender were not independent risk factors.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in hepatic amyloidosis are not well defined. Here, we report on a patient with renal failure caused by primary amyloidosis (AL type) who developed jaundice. Ultrasound and computed tomography were normal except for some ascites. MRI with oral manganese-containing contrast agent revealed several focal areas without contrast uptake in the hepatocytes and no bile secretion after 8 hours. No extrahepatic bile obstructions were found. Liver biopsy showed severe intraportal, vascular, and parenchymal amyloidosis causing severe cholestasis and atrophy of hepatocytes.

To evaluate the effect of a new oral manganese contrast agent (CMC-001) on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) intensities at different magnetic field strengths. Twelve healthy volunteers underwent abdominal MRI 1 week before and within 2.5-4.5 h after CMC-001 (MnCl2 and absorption promoters dissolved in water) intake at three different MR scanners of 0.23, 0.6 and 1.5 T. Image contrast and intensity enhancement of liver and pancreas were analysed relatively to muscle and fat intensities. Manganese blood levels were allowed for 24 h. Whole-blood Manganese concentration levels stayed within the normal range. The liver intensities on T2w images decreased about 10% for the 1/2 contrast dose and about 20% for the full contrast dose independent of the field strength. The liver intensities on T1w images increased more than 30% for 1/2 contrast dose and over 40% for full contrast dose. The maximum T1 enhancement was achieved at the highest field. Pancreas intensities were not affected. Contrast between liver, muscle and fat intensities increased with magnetic field, as well as standard errors of the volunteer-averaged intensities. Oral intake of CMC-001 influences liver intensities and does not affect pancreas intensities at different magnetic field strengths.