Rheumatology Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Program
Ultrasonography is now appreciated as a valuable tool for diagnosis, monitoring, and intervention in Rheumatology. We are routinely using ultrasound in our out-patient clinic for:
- Early detection of erosive disease
- Assessment of synovial tissue, effusions, treatment response and crystal arthropathy
- Detection of enthesitis in seronegative spondyloarthritis
- Needle guidance in aspiration, injection and biopsy
Our Faculty
Dr. Ralf Thiele is specifically looking at using high frequency ultrasound, power doppler and 3D ultrasound to identify tophi in gout as well as synovitis and enthesitis in gout, RA and PsA.
Dr. Darren Tabechian uses ultrasound guided synovial biopsy in the clinic to evaluate challenging cases of arthritis and for multiple research studies including the Accelerated Medicines Partnership initiatives in in RA and psoriatic arthritis. He is also a founding member of the Ultrasound Guided Synovial Biopsy group which is a group of investigators providing training programs across the country and collaborating on inflammatory arthritis research studies.
Dr. Norman Madsen's research interests include the use ultrasound technology to better differentiate early rheumatic disease patients from the healthy normal population and the use of ultrasound as an outcome measure in clinical trials. He also has an interest in medical education and is involved in educating both Rheumatologists and Rheumatology fellows in musculoskeletal ultrasound at URMC and with USSONAR.