{
  "abstract": "Introduction Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune connective tissue disease frequently associated with hand involvement, leading to significant functional impairment. Despite its clinical importance, relatively little research has focused on hand function in SSc. Imaging techniques provide unique opportunities to visualize and quantify structural and functional abnormalities of the hand, supporting diagnosis, monitoring, and treatment evaluation. This systematic review aimed to summarize and critically evaluate imaging techniques applied to the hands of patients with SSc, excluding ultrasound and nailfold capillaroscopy given their established use in clinical practice.Material and Methods A systematic search of PubMed and Embase was conducted on April 23, 2025. Eligible studies included original research articles in English that applied or evaluated imaging techniques of the hands in SSc, either in clinical or research settings. Screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts was performed independently by two authors. Findings were synthesized by imaging modality, and study quality was assessed using the QUADAS-2 tool.Results Fifty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. In total, 25 distinct imaging techniques were identified, enabling assessment of various hand structures, including vasculature, skin, musculoskeletal tissues, inflammatory processes, digital ulcers, calcinosis, and perfusion/temperature. These modalities demonstrated potential utility across multiple clinical and research applications; however, evidence was heterogeneous and often limited to small-scale or exploratory studies.Conclusions This review identified 25 imaging techniques used to assess hand involvement in SSc, highlighting their potential for advancing diagnosis, monitoring, and research. Nonetheless, standardization, validation, and large-scale feasibility studies are needed before these approaches can be routinely implemented in clinical practice. Future work should prioritize harmonizing methodology, validating outcome measures, and establishing standardized imaging endpoints to improve both patient care and clinical trial design in SSc.",
  "authors": [
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands"
      ],
      "name": "Mark Greveling"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands"
      ],
      "name": "Veerle Koerselman"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands"
      ],
      "name": "Simon Mastbergen"
    },
    {
      "affiliations": [
        "University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands"
      ],
      "name": "Julia Spierings"
    }
  ],
  "title": "P.388 Imaging techniques for assessing the hand in systemic sclerosis: a systematic review",
  "uid": "ab4ff570-5cc2-5752-a706-59eb0fe86f34"
}