Radionuclide diagnosis of local inflammation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Radionuclide scintigraphy with osteotropic radiopharmaceuticals labelled 99Tc proved highly sensitive in assessment of local inflammation. Osteoscintigraphy allows detection of preclinical and pre-x-ray lesions in the joints in RA and assessment of the treatment efficacy. Characteristic signs of the radionuclide distribution and accumulation can serve as a prompt in differential diagnosis of RA, DOA, reactive and gouty arthritis.