PVNS

Pigmented villonodular synovitis
- Unknown aetiology
- Synovial proliferation disorder
- intracellular Haemosiderin deposition (thus "Pigmented")

Monoarticular
Age 30-40s

Benign proliferation of synovium in the joint or in bursa/tendon sheath +/- hemorrhagic effusion
If occurs in the tendon sheath => then it is known as Giant Cell Tumor of the tendon sheath

Clinical features:
- Insidious onset
- Monoarticular arthropathy
- Swelling
- Stiffness
- Pain

Pathology:
- Hyperplastic synovium
- Lipid-laden foam cells, histiocytes, giant cells, haemosiderin deposits

Distribution:
- Knee > Hip > Ankle > Shoulder

Radiograph:
- Dense effusion
- Dense soft tissue mass (due to haemosiderin)
- Bone erosion
- Large subchondral cysts
- Preserved joint space
- Typically normal in the early stage

MRI:
- Joint effusion
- Focal / diffuse synovial thickening: Low signal T1w and T2w, and blooming artifact on GRE (due to hemosiderin deposition)

DDx:
- (repeated) Haemarthrosis such as Haemophilics
- Septic arthritis
- Articular amyloid deposition (similar in MRI appearance)

Rx:
- Synovectomy (~50% with local recurrence)