Synovitis is defined as an area in the synovial compartment that shows above normal postgadolinium enhancement of a thickness greater than the width of the normal synovium. T1-weighted images were acquired before and after the administration of intravenous contrast agent containing gadolinium. Intravenous contrast was required to demonstrate enhancing synovitis. Synovitis was scored 0 to 3 in 3 wrist regions and in each of the first through fifth MCP joints. A score of 0 is normal, with no enhancement or enhancement up to the thickness of normal synovium, while scores of 1 to 3 (mild, moderate, severe) refer to increments of one-third of the presumed maximum volume of enhancing tissue in the synovial compartment. Total synovitis score ranges from a minimum of 0 to a maximum of 24. A negative value in synovitis change from Baseline score indicates an improvement.

Bone edema was assessed at 25 anatomic locations: 15 in 1 wrist and 10 in attached hand. Bone edema was defined as a lesion within the trabecular bone, with ill-defined margins and signal characteristics consistent with increased water content. Each bone was scored separately; the scale was 0-3 based on the proportion of bone with edema, as follows 0: no edema; 1: 1-33% of bone edematous; 2: 34-66% of bone edematous; 3: 67-100%. OMERACT RAMRIS total bone edema score for hands/wrists was sum of the individual scores for each location. Thus the maximum score per hand/wrist was 75 (range 0-75). Increasing score=greater severity.