Imaging Capabilities of Patients with Early-stage Collagenoses

The general term <i>collagenosis</i> covers a group of connective tissue diseases triggered by systemic autoimmune processes and as yet unknown trigger mechanisms. Systemic sclerosis is one of the five types of collagenosis. Of the systemic rheumatic diseases, it has the highest mortality rate, partly due to the historical lack of disease-modifying therapies. Early diagnosis of systemic sclerosis can be challenging if the typical symptoms and diagnostic or classification criteria are not yet evident. However, given the disease's often heterogeneous course, early diagnosis and treatment are crucial for prognosis and to protect against progression involving the internal organs. Because reliable and prognostically valid biomarkers are generally lacking, deciding whether or not to pursue aggressive treatment in the early stages of the disease remains problematic. This article discusses the potential benefits of imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging and pharmacoangiography for the early diagnosis of systemic sclerosis.