[1][2] In rheumatoid arthritis, the fibroblast-like synoviocytes, highly specialized mesenchymal cells found in the synovial membrane, play an active and prominent role in the synovitis.

Synovitis causes joint tenderness or pain, swelling and hard lumps, called nodules.

The joints in your hands and fingers feel painful when pressed and when moving or gripping anything.

A rheumatologist will aim to diagnose the cause of the patient’s pain by first determining whether it is inside the joint itself, meaning true synovitis, or if it is actually caused by an inflammation of the tendons, referred to as tendonitis.

Imaging, such as an MRI or musculoskeletal ultrasound is often required to make a firm diagnosis.