The purpose of this study is to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and high-resolution
peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) techniques to look at the damage and
disease activity progression in the hand and wrist joints of patients with rheumatoid
arthritis.
The central hypothesis is that ongoing erosions and cartilage loss in rheumatoid arthritis
are due to persistent inflammation, which is poorly detected by clinical examination and
markers of systemic inflammation.