Topography of Bone Erosions at the Metatarsophalangeal Joints in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Bilateral Mapping by Computed Tomography

Objectives: To describe the bilateral anatomical location of bone erosions (BE) at the metatarsophalangeal joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis using computed tomography. Materials and methods: Eighteen consecutive patients with established rheumatoid arthritis prospectively underwent computed tomography of both forefeet. Each joint surface of the metatarsal heads (MTH) and the proximal phalangeal bases were divided into four quadrants: superior, plantar, tibial, and fibular. The number of BE was cumulatively counted per patient, side, joint, per joint surface, and quadrant. Descriptive statistics, paired and unpaired samples t-tests, Pearson's correlation coefficients, ANOVA 2, and variance component analysis were performed. Results: There were 288 BE at the MTH and 66 at the proximal phalanges. The number of BE in one forefoot was a poor predictor of the absolute number of BE on the contralateral foot r=0.54 and was unrelated to symptoms. The superior quadrants were less frequently affected than other quadrants for both the MTH p<0.0001 and proximal phalanges p<0.001. The tibial quadrant showed a higher number of BE compared to all other quadrants for MTH p<0.03, proximal phalanges p<0.01, and for the metatarsophalangeal joint as a whole p<0.0001. Plantar and fibular quadrants were equally affected p<0.05. Conclusion: BE were found more frequently on the tibial side of the MTH in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Automated summary

This study used computed tomography to investigate the bilateral bone erosions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis at the metatarsophalangeal joints, finding that erosions were more frequently found on the tibial side of the metatarsal heads.