PhD conferral Ms Andrea M.J. Scharmga, MSc.

“High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: truth, discrimination and feasibility”

Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis, CT, imaging, bone

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease characterised by joint inflammation causing damage to the bones, including those of the fingers. High-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) is a new CT technique only used in research settings that allows detailed imaging of the bones. This dissertation shows that HR-pQCT is a reliable and sensitive technique. In the future, HR-pQCT may be used to monitor and evaluate treatment effects in clinical trials. HR-pQCT may also be used to study bone abnormalities in other rheumatic diseases.