Hello,
Wonder if anyone has had ultrasounds on shoulders, elbows and wrists? ...apparently mine showed inflammation in all...I haven't seen the rheumatologist since having this done last week, but does it mean I have arthritis in joints or is the inflammation from a PMR ? - having gone down to 4.5 from 6/6.5 in 5 weeks just for the scan..am very much regretting not putting appointment back (already cancelled it once). Probably a daft question, but thought id ask anyway! Many Thanks 😊
I can empathise with the fact that you have been left hanging. The imagination tends to run away with you. You really need to have the conversation with the Rheumatologist sooner rather than later. Anything we say would be a guess. A little information can be a dangerous thing.
I was told after cardiology tests that something had been seen in the Aorta. Later I was told that this was an age related thing and nothing to do with Large Vessel Vasculitis. Not very comforting.
I had an ultrasound done on my right shoulder soon after diagnosis with PMR (July 2021?) They couldn't see much wrong with it although it hurt. I had an MRI in February 2022 and they found 2 partially torn tendons. I hadn't noticed that shoulder being worse than before. Was the ultrasound pretty useless at identifying injuries? Had the pred weakened my tendons later on and let me hurt myself that badly without noticing doing it? It seems unlikely as I no longer needed to haul my body up using my arms. I cannot tell.
well, I’m glad it’s being looked into anyway and I hope you get some feedback soon as to cause. Good luck xx
Ultrasound can see nerves, joints, tendons …… so they can see any damage. I am always amazed they can see anything it always looks like a blur to me. Although I had an echocardiogram and the consultant explained what was on it. I was fascinated by the arteries.
Depends WHERE the inflammation is - in the joints or in the surrounding soft tissues? And only the rheumy can/will tell you that. Poor practice to tell a patient half a story - here u/s is usually done by a doctor and thy write the report immediately and hand it to you - but they do also say to you what they found and will explain. I'm still in two minds whether that is better than having a technologist do it as in the UK - but it does mean there is someone to give a sensible answer.
My rheumatologist did a scan of my wrist because he had seen that my hands were swollen and he showed me the fluid which he explained as a PMR flare.
Before I was diagnosed(it took a while) I had an US and MRI on my hips and shoulder because I was in so much pain. They noted high degree of inflammation and I had steroid injections in both that helped. Why they didn’t put two and two together I don’t know why. I even had high ESR and CRP. Finally, a clever locum diagnosed me. I think they are beginning to realise a bigger role in imaging for diagnosis.
I did have a shoulder ultrasound, but outcome was different from yours. However, I had DXA and MRI scans about 3 weeks ago. As instructed I rang the surgery twice this week for the results, but apparently lots of people have not had their results after 3 weeks because of lack of staff at the hospital. I would hope your consultant would write to you soon, but if not, you should probably contact either him/her or your GP.
Shoulder issues and PMR
Painful wrists and forearms 
Swollen & stiff hands & wrists
Pain in wrists and thumbs.
Wrists and other pain 
