RHEUMATOLOGIC SEMEIOTICS 2.0. IMAGING IMPLEMENTATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE

Ultrasound (US) has demonstrated to play an important role in the diagnosis and follow up of patients with musculoskeletal diseases but its applications in the rheumatological field are rapidly expanding also beyond the strict use for the assessment of joint and periarticular disorders, moving to the assessment of extra-articular involvement (for example salivary gland damage) and vascular inflammation.
This imaging tool can be used directly by rheumatologists during patient evaluations, as a real-time "bedside" approach, thereby enhancing diagnostic accuracy and reducing the time between diagnosis and the initiation of appropriate treatment, that is crucial for most of the rheumatological diseases. However, the implementation of US in daily clinical practice is still limited mainly due to the lack of trained personnel.
Moreover, due to physical and technical limitations US cannot provide adequate information on every clinical question. Integrated imaging (MRI, CT and conventional radiography) should be chosen in those cases in order to add to the clinical puzzle the missing pieces.
This course is designed to deliver a cutting-edge update on the applications of US and integrated imaging in Rheumatology, targeting both rheumatologists with ultrasound expertise and those without, providing pragmatic guidance on how to optimize the use of ultrasound and imaging for the clinical evaluation of rheumatologic patients. It encompasses a comprehensive examination of both inflammatory and non-inflammatory rheumatologic conditions and includes practical imaging sessions, that should increase confidence for the use of US (and integrated imaging) in daily clinical practice and for research purposes.

23 febbraio 2024
Chronic Inflammatory Arthritis Chairs - R.Caporali / P.Sarzi Puttini
ore 09.00  Diagnosis treatment and monitoring of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis: guidelines update - R.Caporali
ore 09.20  Rheumatoid Arthritis: Added value of US in diagnosis and monitoring - E.Naredo 
ore 10.45  Psoriatic Arthritis: Added value of US in diagnosis and monitoring - M.A.D’Agostino
ore 10.00  Monitoring of inflammation and joint damage with US in RA and PsA - P.Mandl
ore 10.20  Discussion
ore 10.35  Coffee break
ore 10.55  Spondiloarthritis: understanding enthesitis and dactylitis - I.Moller
ore 11.15  Discussion
ore 11.20  Training session US (hands-on):
                   US for diagnosis and monitoring RA and PsA and discussion
ore 13.00  Lunch
Chairs: F.Porta / F.Vreju
ore 14.00  Difficult to treat RA: PROs, clinimetrics and imaging - C.Scirè
ore 14.20  Early Spondylarthritis and very Early PsA: definitions and implications in clinical practice - A.Zabotti
ore 14.40  Imaging in the diagnosis and follow up of axial involvement - L.M.Sconfienza
ore 15.00  Discussion
ore 15.15  TRAINING SESSION (PLENARY)
                   Axial imaging in SpA (including differential diagnosis and monitoring)
ore 16.30  Conclusions and closing remarks
ore 17.00  Goodbye coffee break