Soft tissue lesions in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) include various
lesions such as subcutaneous edema, synovitis of the joint, edema of the joint capsule,
tenosynovitis, tendon rupture, muscular, and vascular involvement. The synovium of
bursa is also affected. Ultrasound and MRI are especially important for the evaluation
of soft tissue lesions because of the low sensitivity of conventional radiography. The
soft tissue lesions of SLE are diverse and widespread, and understanding their
pathophysiology can help diagnose whether the lesions are of SLE origin or a
complication of other factors. Knowing the soft tissue lesions of SLE can also help us
to deal with the wide variety of lesions in SLE patients. In this article, we summarize
the variety of extra-articular soft tissue lesions.
Keywords: Bursitis, Edema, Peritenon extensor tendon inflammation (PTI), Soft tissue lesions, Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), Tenosynovitis.
