Figure 1.

Probability of radiological progression after a 2-year follow-up period with regard to the presence of baseline synovitis defined by either clinical or ultrasonographic examination. *Radiological progression = occurrence or worsening of erosion or joint space narrowing. **Score of ‘clinical’ synovitis (0 = no synovitis; 1 = doubtful synovitis; 2 = obvious and moderate synovitis; 3 = obvious and important synovitis. ***Score of ultrasonography grey-scale evaluation: 0 = absence of synovial thickening; 1 = mild synovial thickening; 2 = moderate synovial thickening; 3 = marked synovial thickening. ****Score of ultrasonographic Power Doppler evaluation: 0 = absence of signal, no intra-articular flow; 1 = mild, one or two vessels' signals (including one confluent vessel) for small joints and two to three signals for large joints (including two confluent vessels); 2 = moderate confluent vessels (>grade 1) and less than 50% of normal area; 3 = marked vessels' signals in more than half the synovial area.