{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T00:54:58Z","timestamp":1760144098547,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":35,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,22]],"date-time":"2024-03-22T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1711065600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Diagnostics"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Hand impairment is a frequently reported complaint in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients and a leading cause of disability and diminished quality of life. Managing hand pain can be particularly challenging due to the coexistence of non-inflammatory arthralgias, inflammatory arthritis, acro-osteolysis, tenosynovitis, joint contractures, tendon friction rubs, nerve entrapment, Raynaud\u2019s phenomenon (RP), digital ulcers (DU), sclerodactyly, calcinosis, and chronic pain. While physical examination and radiographs are the first line methods for evaluating hand pain, they are limited in scope and miss many underlying etiologies of hand impairment. We propose a joint ultrasound (US) hand protocol to differentiate between various articular, periarticular, ischemic, skin, and nerve pathologies and to assist in targeted treatment strategies.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/diagnostics14070669","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,22]],"date-time":"2024-03-22T10:03:59Z","timestamp":1711101839000},"page":"669","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Development of a Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Protocol to Evaluate Hand Pain in Systemic Sclerosis Patients"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"given":"Meridith L.","family":"Balbach","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6787-9051","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Robert","family":"Corty","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Bradford","family":"Hill","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Plastic Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Tracy","family":"Frech","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6016-6123","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Fawad","family":"Aslam","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Mayo Clinic in Arizona, Department of Rheumatology, Scottsdale, AZ 85259, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Erin Y.","family":"Chew","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37232, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,3,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"2485","article-title":"Musculoskeletal ultrasound including definitions for ultrasonographic pathology","volume":"32","author":"Wakefield","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. 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