Significance of clinical evaluation of the metacarpophalangeal joint in relation to synovial/bone pathology in rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis detected by magnetic resonance imaging

CONCLUSION: In inflammatory arthritis, disease activity in MCP joints can be reliably assessed at the bedside by examining for joint-line tenderness (TJC) and visual inspection for swelling. Clinical assessment may have to be complemented by other methods for evaluating disease activity in the joint, such as MRI, particularly in patients with PsA.