A new study suggests that a radiation-free screening protocol can identify interstitial lung involvement (ILI) in asymptomatic rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The study proposed a noninvasive approach using pulmonary function tests (PFT) and pleuro-pulmonary transthoracic ultrasound (LUS) for early detection of ILI. Results showed that 40% of patients had noticeable changes in LUS, with 24% showing patterns compatible with ILD. Additional findings included obstructive lung disease, subpleural consolidation, pleural effusion, and ischemic cardiac disease. The study supports using LUS for screening for RA-ILD and suggests it as an appropriate imaging tool in combination with PFT for ILD screening in RA patients.
Source link
Radiation-free screening can identify interstitial lung involvement in rheumatoid arthritis
