Early rheumatoid arthritis, two distinctive structural damage patterns revealed by MRI: an 8-year longitudinal study

Questions The value of MRI in predicting long-term structural damage in ERA patients is not clear. Findings This study identified two distinct long-term structural damage progression patterns of ERA patients. MRI can better differentiate between these two groups at baseline than clinical, serological, or radiographic assessment. Clinical relevance MRI examination should be performed in all ERA patients at baseline to determine their structural damage pattern. This will allow a better prediction of patient outcomes in the long-term.