The Role of Ultrasound in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: A Narrative Review From an Imaging Perspective

Abstract

Objective: Musculoskeletal sonography (MSKS) is increasingly being used in the setting of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The purpose of this narrative review was to describe the role of sonography in JIA and outline strategies for operators of pediatric MSKS. Methods: A literature review through multiple medical databases was conducted by restricting the search to medical subject headings (MeSH). Peer-reviewed English-language articles from 2007 to 2018 were included, which focused the on common sonographic findings of JIA. Results: Twenty-six articles were selected for inclusion in the study after a complete reading. Many studies aimed to address the validity of sonographic techniques in the assessment of JIA, but few studies discussed the specific sonographic appearances of JIA, scanning pitfalls, and appropriate imaging techniques. Conclusion: MSKS reveals subclinical manifestations of arthropathy, but the true value of detecting subclinical disease is not well understood. MSKS is limited in the evaluation of articular cartilage thinning and bony erosions. Responsiveness of MSKS in JIA remains to be formally assessed with higher quality studies.