Skip Navigation


Rheumatology Advance Access originally published online on March 31, 2003
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
42/6/773    most recent
keg216v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (17)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Oku, K.
Right arrow Articles by Koike, T.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Oku, K.
Right arrow Articles by Koike, T.
Related Collections
Right arrow Diagnostics and Imaging Procedures
Right arrow Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Autoimmunity
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Rheumatology 2003; 42: 773-777
© 2003 British Society for Rheumatology

Cerebral imaging by magnetic resonance imaging and single photon emission computed tomography in systemic lupus erythematosus with central nervous system involvement

K. Oku, T. Atsumi, S. Furukawa, T. Horita, Y. Sakai, S. Jodo, Y. Amasaki, K. Ichikawa, O. Amengual and T. Koike

Department of Medicine II, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, N15 W7, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-8638, Japan

Objective. To assess the significance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) abnormalities in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods. Forty-four patients with SLE were retrospectively analysed. Patients were classified into three groups [1 and 2: patients with central nervous system (CNS) manifestations before and after starting high-dose steroid therapy, respectively; 3: patients without CNS manifestations. MRI was performed in all 44 patients and SPECT in 31.

Results. Abnormal findings in MRI were found in 19 patients. MRI abnormalities were significantly more frequent in patients with CNS manifestations than in those without [71 vs 17%, odds ratio (OR) 11.9, confidence interval (CI) 2.8–49.9, P=0.0003]. After the initiation of steroid therapy, patients with CNS manifestations also had an increased frequency of abnormal MRI. No correlation was found between SPECT findings and CNS manifestations. However, patients with CNS manifestations after starting steroids showed a markedly increased frequency of abnormal MRI and SPECT compared with those without CNS manifestations (80 vs 7%; OR 56, CI 4.4–719, P=0.0003). The positive predictive value of abnormality in both techniques in developing CNS manifestations after starting steroids was 89%.

Conclusion. MRI findings correlated with CNS manifestations in SLE. Where there is a high suspicion of CNS involvement, the combination of MRI and SPECT may be useful in predicting CNS manifestations after starting steroid therapy.

KEY WORDS: MRI, SPECT, SLE, CNS involvement.

Correspondence to: T. Atsumi. E-mail: at3tat{at}med.hokudai.ac.jp


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Rheumatology (Oxford)Home page
G. Castellino, M. Padovan, A. Bortoluzzi, M. Borrelli, L. Feggi, M. L. Caniatti, F. Trotta, and M. Govoni
Single photon emission computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging evaluation in SLE patients with and without neuropsychiatric involvement
Rheumatology, March 1, 2008; 47(3): 319 - 323.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.