ASSESSMENT OF PLANTAR FASCIITIS AND ASCHILLES TENDINITIS IN BEHCET DISEASE, ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS AND RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS BY BOTH ULTRASOUND AND MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

Background: Joint complaints are not rare in Behcet Disease (BD), sometimes in a pattern seen in patients with various spondyloarthropathies.Objectives: We aimed to assess the involvement of aschilles tendon and plantar fascia of patients with BD complaining of heel pain by ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The findings were compared with those seen in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and rheumatoid arhtritis (RA).Methods: All the patients and underwent clinical examination including health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) and BASDAI. The imaging examination included lateral X-ray of heels, US and MRI. All the groups were analysed with one way ANOVA and chi-square analysis.Results: All the groups were similar about demographic data. The number of patients with BD was 13, 12 patients with RA and 13 patients with AS were included. Female patients had more severe heel pain in all groups(p=0.03). They also had higher HAQ and BASDAI scores (p=0.01,p=0.03 respectively). X –ray findings were not found related to heel pain. The avarage thickness of right aschilles tendon measured by US was similar in all groups (BD: 4.6mm± 4.1mm, RA 4.5mm± 3.7mm, AS 4.51mm± 3.9mm).In the left side the measurements were 4.37mm ± 3.9mm, 4.2mm ± 3.6mm, 4.5mm± 4.04mm respectively. The avarage thickness of plantar fascia on the right side was 1.8mm± 1.5 in BD, 1.6mm ± 1.1mm in RA, 2.0mm ±1.5mm in AS. On the left side these meaurements were 2.0mm ± 1.7mm, 1.7mm ±1.0mm, 1.8mm ±1.4mm.Conclusion: Although both the thickness of aschilles tendon and plantar fascia were less than the scores of Glasgow Ultrasound Enthesitis Scoring System, the patients with BD had scores similar to patients with both AS and RA as well. MRI examination revealed more detailed involvement in all the groups similarly.Citation: Ann Rheum Dis, volume 65, supplement II, year 2006, page 586Session: Diagnostics and imaging procedures