Clinical images: Gold thread acupuncture for rheumatoid arthritis

Gold-wire artifacts on diagnostic radiographs: A case report

“…The first case was reported in 2008 with corresponding features on intra-oral images and panoramic views 9. Another case report discussed a patient who was treated for rheumatoid arthritis by an acupuncturist with gold-thread acupuncture 2. The radiographic images showed findings similar to those of the previously described case.…”

“…A MEDLINE-PubMed search gave the following possible explanations for radiopaque marks in the lateral areas of the craniofacial area: synthetic hair braid extension artifacts,3,4 multiple miliary osteoma cutis,5,6,7 tonsillolith,8 acupuncture needles,2 surgical clips, plastic surgery,9,10,11 traumatic insertions (accidental insertions), and calcified phleboliths associated with soft tissue haemangioma 12,13,14…”

“…Before taking X-rays, it is important to remove all metallic objects that could cause artifacts. However, sometimes, unexpected objects such as metallic foreign bodies inserted into the body during surgery or abandoned acupuncture needles might be hidden in the body and are less frequently described in the literature 2. Recently, our department discovered rare irregular dense radiopaque strings, inserted during plastic surgery, on radiographs.…”

Unusual worm-like radiopacities in the radiographs of patients with cervical spondylosis

“…In Korea, gold thread acupuncture is a common therapy for joint pain, wrinkles, and overall body wellness. The gold thread procedure is often perceived to induce “inner strength” of the body through insertions of small pieces of sterile gold thread by acupuncture needles [ 9 ]. However, a previous report showed that gold threads used for pain management of rheumatoid arthritis were left around the deformed hands and feet in the body for years [ 5 ].…”

“…It is believed that the denser threads in the “mesh” or “fan” lead to a tighter lift. Given the highly vascularized tissue capsule surrounding the gold threads, gold thread implantation is believed to promote angiogenesis, followed by further induction of mast cell growth over time [ 9 , 14 ].…”