Abstract
The aim of this review article was to investigate the pooled sensitivity and specificity of musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) for the detection of synovitis and early bone erosion in the small joint in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In addition, investigate the pooled sensitivity and specificity of Power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS) for the detection of synovial hypervascularity in small joints in RA. A systematic literature search of PubMed, Wiley online library, Google Scholar, Research gate, E-book, BioMed Central, the Journal of Rheumatology and Springer Link were investigated from 2001 to 2017. Original researches related to the article written in English including RA, synovitis, bone erosion, grayscale, and PDUS were included in this study. The sample size, study design, sensitivity, and specificity were analyzed. The review summarizes the value of MSUS for the detection of RA as it is the first choice of modality. Results show the acceptable reliability of US for the diagnosis of early bone erosions, synovitis, and synovial hypervascularity.