Longitudinal Changes in Rheumatoid Arthritis After Rituximab Assessed by Quantitative and Dynamic Contrast Enhanced High-Resolution 3-Tesla-MR Imaging

Jan Fritz^1,2, Michael Fenchel², Claus D. Claussen², John A. Carrino, Marius S. Horger²

Longitudinal quantitative and dynamic contrast enhanced high-resolution 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging of the metacarpophalangeal joint shows that intravenous Rituximab administration for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is associated with a significant decrease of the inflammatory activity of synovitis with a minimum at 26 weeks and increasing activity thereafter suggesting recurrence. Intra-osseous inflammation is not influenced significantly. Erosions progressed significantly over time. There appears to be an inverse relationship of the significantly decreasing disease activity score and significantly increasing volume of the erosions, suggesting subclinical disease progression.