Thanks to Cornwall Arthritis Trust the RCHT Rheumatology Department has been gifted a high end ultrasound machine to use in our clinics. This has meant for patients with suspected inflammatory arthritis we can do in depth scanning of the joints during our clinic, enabling inflammatory arthritis to immediately be ruled in or out, reducing delay from awaiting an ultrasound with the radiology department before treatment can be started. This has markedly reduced our wait from time of referral until DMARDs are started.

It has also enabled rapid point of care assessment of suspected Giant Cell Arteritis (aka temporal arteritis) cases meaning steroids can be swiftly stopped in those for whom GCA is ruled out. This has resulted in a 90% reduction in the need for temporal artery biopsies.