Study: Osteoarthritis Patients Benefit from Radionuclide Injection

Osteoarthritis patients can benefit from the injection of a radionuclide into the painful joint, a process known as radiosynoviorthesis, according to a report presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine's annual meeting in New Orleans this week by German and University of Washington Medical Center researchers.

People with osteoarthritis may suffer from inflammation of the synovial membrane, a condition known as synovitis. The symptoms of this conditon can usually be treated with analgetic or antiphlogistic drugs. However, for the 10 percent of patients who do not respond to drug therapy, removal of the inflamed tissue through surgery or radiation may be necessary.

Radiosynoviorthesis involves the application of beta-emitting radionuclides to remove the inflamed membrane. The treatment has proven safe and effective for rheumatoid arthritis.

"In the fingers, osteoarthritis is a disease characterized by stiffness and discomfort, which can significantly impact an individual's ability to function in daily life," said researcher Dr. Willm Kampen, of University Hospital in Kiel, Germany. "We hope the results of our work will help suggest a viable alternative to living in pain."

Kampen and his colleagues performed radiosynoviorthesis on 53 finger joints of 29 osteoarthritis patients with proven synovitis. Patients reported significant pain relief in two-thirds of the treated joints during an average follow-up period of 3.5 years.

According to the researchers, these results demonstrate that radiosynoviorthesis is only slightly less effective in treating osteoarthritis of the finger joints than it is in treating rheumatoid arthritis, and they suggest that the procedure should be considered as a treatment option.

Other sources: Society of Nuclear Medicine