How does chest X-ray help with diagnosis of PMR?

[Baner]

Awaiting result of chest X-ray my gp requested to diagnosis PMR

[SheffieldJane]

Perhaps it was a process of elimination. It is normally a CRP blood test looking at inflammation levels and mostly the symptoms and the fact that the pains are bilateral.

[piglette]

My rheumatologist got to me to have a chest x-ray.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Difficult to say - though in some places it is part and parcel of a full work-up to rule things out.However, this

academic.oup.com/rheumatolo...

suggests that it may identify a PMR that is rather more than "just" PMR:

"Occasionally, chest radiographs can show aneurysms of the thoracic aorta in PMR patients with concomitant large-vessel vasculitis [19]. In this setting, conventional angiography, CT, contrast-enhanced CT angiography and MRI, including magnetic resonance angiography, can evaluate the existence, extent and activity of vasculitis [20]. Arteriography showed stenosis of subclavian, axillary and brachial arteries in a subgroup of PMR patients with arterial murmurs [21], supporting the concept of polymyalgia arteritica [22]."

[Baner in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you, waiting for results of blood tests and chest X-ray for my gp to confirm his diagnosis and start treatment, didn’t ask what X-ray was for and didn’t want to bother him to ask

[Viv54 in reply to PMRpro]

This was really interesting to me , as i await my app with the Endo , and then the plan for my pet scan to be done . Hoping that it will make things much clearer in my case, as with so many things going on with my body, think its hard for them to separate whats what and where !!

[Kaaswinkel72]

With all your respect dear Baner….he was the one bothering YOU not explaining why he thought a chest x ray was appropriate. We now live in 2021 everybody has to get used to that.😉

[diana1998]

When I was diagnosed in A&E I was Xrayed in chest and pelvis, full blood count etc..... Very thorough.

[USAGCA]

Baner, it doesn’t sound like a chest x ray would be helpful in your case (or any other).

[Theziggy]

I was sent for a chest x-ray before being diagnosed with pmr - which I then had to convince the consultant that it was palindromic rheumatism not pmr!