Assessing rheumatologists and radiologists agreement rate regarding the diagnosis of focal bone erosions and osteopenic changes using hand X-rays radiography in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

In rheumatoid arthritis, diagnosis of bone erosions and osteopenic changes in earlier stages is extremely important to the initiation of specific and more aggressive treatment to subsidize the disease, decrease morbidities, and increase patients’ quality of life. In the present study, we assessed consensus rate of rheumatologists and radiologists regarding the detection of radiographic changes of hand in rheumatoid arthritis. Ninety-six adult patients with documented rheumatoid arthritis referring to our outpatient rheumatology clinic during March 2009–2010, enrolled into this cross-sectional study. Hands and wrists X-ray obtained for all patients. The films were observed by a rheumatologist and a radiologist separately, to detect focal bone erosions, periarticular osteopenic changes, and joint space losses. Agreement rates between the two specialists were assessed using the kappa test ratio. A total of 96 patients comprising 86 (89.5 %) female and 10 (10.41 %) male with a mean age of 48.5 ± 1.2 years (range 22–76 years old) were studied. The proportion agreement between the radiologist and rheumatologist regarding bone erosions and juxta-articular osteopenic changes was 69.7 and 84.3 %, respectively. The kappa agreement coefficient for the diagnosis of bone erosions was 36 % which showed significant poor agreement between two specialist (p < 0.001, proportion agreement = 69.7 %). As well, the kappa of 20 % for the detection of juxta-articular osteopenic changes revealed significant poor agreement between the two specialist (p < 0.047, proportion agreement = 84.3 %). The results of the present study demonstrate that there is a minimal agreement between the two radiology and rheumatology specialists regarding simultaneous diagnosis of bone erosions and periarticular osteopenic changes in rheumatoid arthritis patients that emphasis requiring both specialists’ X-ray report at the time of diagnosis.