[Diagnostic value of ultrastructural study of the synovial membrane in rheumatic diseases].

This paper deals with diagnosis value of synovium electron microscopic study in inflammatory and metabolic rheumatism. Detection in synovium of hydroxyapatite, Ca pyrophosphate and other biological crystals often need the use of EM. It is also a good diagnosis tool in inherited lipid and glucid metabolism disorders and to establish an anatomic correlation between the osteo-articular localization and the systemic disease. Furthermore EM is able to detect stigmata of previous treatment such as chrysotherapy, immune complexes deposits in tissues, amyloidosis fibrils and even viral or bacterial material.