Background/Purpose: to describe quantitative and semiquantitative joint ultrasound measurements in healthy people and compare them among different demographic parameters.

Methods: Bilateral ultrasound measurement of small, medium and large joints were performed in 130 healthy volunteers, stratified into five age groups (A: 18-29, B: 30-39, C: 40-49, D: 50-59, E: 60-80 years). Forty six joint recesses per patient were studied: radiocarpal, distal radioulnar, ulnocarpal, 2^nd metacarpophalangeal (MCP) (dorsal, palmar, radial), 3^rd MCP (dorsal, palmar), 2^nd and 3^rd proximal interphalangeal joint of the hand (dorsal, palmar), coronoid fossa; olecranean fossa, glenohumeral (GU) axillary recess, posterior GU recess, hip, knee, talocrural, talonavicular, subtalar, dorsal 1^st metatarsophalangeal joint (MTP), dorsal 2^nd MTP and 5^th MTP (dorsal, lateral). Quantitative measurements of synovial recess (QSR) and semiquantitative measures of synovial hypertrophy (SSH), Power Doppler (SPD), bone erosion (SBE) (score 0-3) and articular cartilage (AC) (score 0-4) were performed by a blinded radiologist using a linear probe (6-18 MHz; Esaote, Genoa, Italy). Sonographic measurements were correlated with age group and other demographic parameters.

Results: Five thousand nine hundred and eighty joint recesses were studied in 130 healthy adults; mean age 44.84, 76,9% women, 62,3% white. The highest values of QSR were found in the hip (6.35mm), axillary GU recess (2.46mm) and posterior GU recess (2.45mm). The joint recess with greater frequency of supposed pathological scores were: 2^nd MTP (78.8%) and 1^st MTP (69.3%) for SSH; radiocarpal (17.7%) and 1^st MTP (15.8%) for SPD; posterior GU recess (23.1%) and ulnocarpal (4.2%) for SBE. The highest QSR and the worst SSH measurement (p<0.02) were observed in age groups D and E and the worst SPD and SBE (p<0.041) were observed in age group E. Minor AC changes (score 1) (p <0.001) were observed in age groups D and E. There were positive correlations among ultrasound measurements with height, age, weight and body mass index (BMI) in 26,1%, 34,8%, 43,5% and 43,5%, respectively, of all the articular recesses studied.

Conclusion: Articular sonographic measurements were performed in several types of joints in healthy adults at different age groups. Mainly synovial hypertrophy, but also Power Doppler, bone erosions and articular cartilage were associated with the worst measurements scores at oldest age groups.

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ACR Meeting Abstracts - https://acrabstracts.org/abstract/sonographic-assessment-of-normal-peripheral-joints-evaluation-according-to-demographics-parameters/