AUTHOR=Manzo Antonio , Bugatti Serena , Rossi Silvia 

TITLE=Clinical Applications of Synovial Biopsy

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine

VOLUME=6

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2019.00102

DOI=10.3389/fmed.2019.00102

ISSN=2296-858X

ABSTRACT=<p>The synovial tissue is a primary target of multiple diseases characterized by different pathogenic mechanisms, including infective, deposition, neoplastic, and chronic immune-inflammatory pathologies. Synovial biopsy can have a relevant role in differential diagnosis of specific conditions in clinical practice, although its exploitation remains relatively limited. In particular, no validated synovial-tissue-derived biomarkers are currently available in the clinic to aid in the diagnosis and management in most frequent forms of chronic inflammatory arthropathies, namely rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the spondyloarthritides (SpA). In this brief review, we will discuss the current spectrum of clinical applications of synovial biopsy in routine rheumatologic care and will provide an analysis of the perspectives for its potential exploitation in patients with chronic inflammatory arthritides.</p>