Ultrasound-guided synovial biopsy: a systematic review according to the OMERACT filter and recommendations for minimal reporting standards in clinical studies

Abstract

USG-SB can be regarded as a valuable tool for large-scale synovial tissue sampling. Standardization of the techniques of USG-SB and tissue processing is needed. Future research should focus on the reliability, responsiveness and feasibility of this procedure in prospective studies.

Willie Sutton Was Right: It’s Time to Turn to the Synovium to Drive Rheumatoid Arthritis Therapy

“…Importantly, the morbidity associated with the biopsy procedure was quite low, with only a single hemarthrosis, and no other complications reported during a mean followup of nearly 3 years. This study not only confirms the previous works that have used US-guided synovial biopsies, but extends their findings and provides support for general use in the clinic 8,12,13,14,15 .…”

Synovial tissue research: a state-of-the-art review

“…60 This incidence is reproducible at other centres where the overall complication rate was shown to be less than 0.3%.Similarly, an overall major complication rate is reported as 0.4% for ultrasound guided biopsy procedures. 61 One study of biopsies in RA patients taken from both an inflamed knee joint and a small joint, showed similar mean cell numbers for all markers investigated in the synovial sublining in both sample sources. 62 Of further note, patients with clinically evident disease manifest at small joints have been shown to have similar abnormalities in clinically uninvolved knee joints, albeit at lower expression levels.…”

Success Rate and Utility of Ultrasound-guided Synovial Biopsies in Clinical Practice

“…Both have been shown to be safe, and well tolerated by the patients (22). The first method requires a single portal with a flexible or rigid biopsy forceps.…”

“…Moreover, it has been shown that microscopic measurements of synovial inflammation does not differ between biopsies taken blindly or under guided vision (19 (20,21). This technique has the benefit of being low cost, rapidly and easily performed without the need for exposing the patient to ionising radiation, and is widely available (22). It is more practical than arthroscopy for biopsying small joints and allows guidance to the thickest synovial zones.…”