概述
If your doctor suspects you have arthritis, he or she may use a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test to diagnose your condition. An MRI uses radio waves and a magnetic field to obtain images of organs, tissues, and other structures in the body. Typically, the images from an MRI test are more detailed than other imaging tests, such as ultrasounds and x-rays.
There are two main types of arthritis:osteoarthritis(OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OA is caused by a breakdown in the protective tissue, called cartilage, that covers your joints. RA is an autoimmune disease that causes joint damage. Orthopedists, doctors who specialize in bone health, increasingly use MRIs to make a diagnosis of osteoarthritis. Doctors can also use these images to look for muscle and cartilage tears around joints.
A radiologist may perform an MRI of a joint with possible osteoarthritis if X-rays are inconclusive. The doctor may also want to look for possible tears and strains in other tissues surrounding the joint.
在访问期间，MRI技术人员将要求您躺在桌子上。然后，他或她将把桌子移入MRI机器，以便受伤的区域在机器中。这意味着，如果看着肩膀，只有身体的上半部分才需要在机器中。然后，您的MRI结果将被发送给您的医生，您会在后续约会中看到的医生。
在检查MRI时，骨科医生通常会寻找以下结构，这可能表明骨关节炎：
- damage to the cartilage
- 骨赘,也叫骨刺
- subchondral sclerosis, which is increased bone density or thickening in the subchondral layer of the joint
- joint effusion, or excess swelling of fluid around the joint
- synovitis, which refers to inflammation of the synovial membrane in joints
- 韧带的眼泪，这可能会增加您早期骨关节炎的风险，或引起疼痛或功能受损
Before scheduling an MRI, your doctor will first review your symptoms and ask:
- 你的痛苦程度
- how long you’ve had pain
- activities that are difficult because of your pain or decreased mobility
您的医生还将进行体格检查，并寻找以下内容：
- 由于肿胀d your joint, which can be a sign of excess fluid
- 肌肉稀疏
- 关节运动减少
- tenderness of the joint
- grating sounds when you move the joint, called crepitus
- swelling in the bone
- instability in the joint
- stiffness
In addition to your physical exam, there are common tests, including an MRI, that your doctor may request. These include:
- X-rays:像MRI一样，这些图像也擅长发现骨关节炎的常见特征，包括骨刺，骨头之间的空间狭窄以及可能的钙沉积物。X射线比MRI便宜，并且结果通常更快地获得。
- Blood tests:没有骨关节炎的血液检查。但是，您的医生可能会使用它来排除其他可能的诊断。
- Joint fluid analysis:如果关节周围有明显的肿胀，医生可能会使用针头拔出液体并测试样品是否可能进行痛风，感染或骨关节炎相关的炎症。
Your doctor may also look at your medical history and see if you have risk factors for osteoarthritis including obesity, age, smoking, and family history.
After having an MRI, you’ll have a follow-up visit with your orthopedist. He or she will first review the results of the images. If your doctor sees tell-tale features of osteoarthritis on the MRI, then he or she review your symptoms, physical exams, and medical history, and possibly give you a formal diagnosis. Your doctor will also inform you of the severity or stage of the osteoarthritis. An orthopedist may also see another condition on the MRI, such as a muscle strain or cartilage tear.
根据对您的病情和MRI结果的整体审查，您的医生将为您提供适当的治疗计划。这可能包括跟进药物，物理疗法和手术。在其他情况下，您也许可以通过改变生活方式的改变，包括活动的体重管理和使用ICE来管理状况。