Table 1 General advantages and disadvantages of imaging modalities for synovitis
From: Molecular imaging for evaluation of synovitis associated with osteoarthritis: a narrative review
Imaging modality | Advantages | Disadvantages |
|---|---|---|
Ultrasound | Low-cost, real-time imaging, relative ease | Operator dependent, small field of view, poor visualization of deeper joint structures |
MRI | Gold standard for evaluation of joints anatomically and current gold standard for evaluation of synovitis | High cost, relatively small field of view, issues with claustrophobia, noisy, longer scan times |
Molecular imaging (PET/SPECT) | Ability to detect specific cellular or molecular process in vivo depending on radiotracer utilized, ability to screen the whole body in one scan | High cost, limited spatial resolution, longer scan times |