Ultrasound Color histogram assessment allows better view of echotexture damage.

INTRODUCTION: The colored ultrasound images can better highlight the joint echotexture damage.

OBJECTIVE: To detect echotexture changes in joints of patients with rheumatic diseases, through a color histogram, and to correlate the area measurements with the gray scale (GS).

METHODS: Four patients with chondrocalcinosis, 5 patients with osteoarthritis and 1 patient with psoriatic arthritis were evalutated. A total of 104 synovitis (SYN) and calcifications (calcif) measurements in cm(2) were performed in the dorsal radiocarpal joint (DRR); triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFC); dorsal metacarpophalangeal joints (MCP) and lateral and medial knee suprapatellar recesses. For each GS measure, one was performed for each standard color image. Spearman was used for correlation analysis.

RESULTS: Mean±SD of image patterns: RGB (Red, Green and Blue) SYN 16.96±0.25cm(2); indigo SYN 6.43±0.07cm(2), RGB Calcif 0.03±0.00cm(2); indigo Calcif 0.06±0.03cm(2); GS SYN 16.13±0.35cm(2) and GS Calcif 0.56±0.01cm(2). Correlations of color images patterns RGB DRR SYN and indigo DRR SYN: r=1, p<0.001; indigo DRR SYN and RGB suprapattelar SYN: r=1, p<0.001; RGB MCP SYN and indigo MCP SYN: r=1, p<0.001; indigo DRR calcif and RGB TFC calcif: r=1 p<0.001; the RGB and indigo measurement standards when correlated with GS for SYN and calcifs were not statistically significant (p=0.333 to 0.667).

CONCLUSION: The RGB and indigo patterns seem to better define these echotexture damage.