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Diagnostics
Special Issues
Diagnostic Imaging of Autoimmune Diseases
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Diagnostic Imaging of Autoimmune Diseases

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Imaging and Theranostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2025 | Viewed by 213

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Simone Appenzeller

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Department of Orthopedics, Rheumatology and Traumatology, School of Medical Science, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas CEP 13083-887, SP, Brazil
Interests: systemic lupus erythematosus; rheumatic disease
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Imaging plays an important role in the early detection, management, and prognosis of autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune diseases often present with complex and overlapping symptoms, making imaging (such as MRI, CT, ultrasound, and PET) crucial for differentiating between diseases and assessing the extent of organ involvement. In recent years, developments in artificial intelligence and novel contrast agents have significantly enhanced imaging precision and diagnostic accuracy. These innovations are paving the way for earlier interventions and improved patient outcomes in autoimmune disease management.

This Special Issue will present readers with the latest advancements in the diagnostic imaging of autoimmune diseases. Original articles, review papers, and interesting images are welcome.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Simone Appenzeller
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • autoimmune diseases
  • systemic lupus erythematosus
  • systemic sclerosis
  • diagnosis
  • imaging

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Review

24 pages, 597 KB  
Review
Diagnostics, Efficacy, and Safety of Immunomodulatory and Anti-Fibrotic Treatment for Interstitial Lung Disease Associated with Systemic Scleroderma (SSc-ILD)
by Dawid Piecuch, Edyta Hanczyk, Katarzyna Zemsta, Michał Zwoliński, Szymon Kopciał and Joanna Jońska
Diagnostics 2025, 15(17), 2243; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15172243 - 4 Sep 2025
Abstract
Systemic scleroderma (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by excessive collagen production and progressive fibrosis. As the disease advances, vascular injury leads to fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, among which interstitial lung disease (ILD) carries the worst prognosis. Recent advances in [...] Read more.
Systemic scleroderma (SSc) is an autoimmune disease characterized by excessive collagen production and progressive fibrosis. As the disease advances, vascular injury leads to fibrosis of the skin and internal organs, among which interstitial lung disease (ILD) carries the worst prognosis. Recent advances in biomarkers, imaging techniques, and innovative therapies offer hope for improving outcomes and quality of life in patients with SSc and ILD. To evaluate the usefulness of disease biomarkers and the efficacy and safety of immunomodulatory therapies in SSc-associated ILD (SSc-ILD), a literature review was conducted using the PubMed database for studies published mainly over the last 5 years. After applying inclusion criteria, 53 clinical studies were analyzed. Treating SSc-ILD remains challenging, with therapeutic strategies aiming to suppress inflammation and limit fibrosis progression. Clinical studies have demonstrated moderate to good efficacy of immunosuppressants such as cyclophosphamide (CYC) and mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), showing improvements in lung function parameters, such as forced vital capacity (FVC), and slowing disease progression. Additionally, biological agents such as nintedanib and tocilizumab have shown promising results—nintedanib in reducing the annual rate of FVC decline and tocilizumab in decreasing inflammatory biomarkers and stabilizing pulmonary function. However, despite these therapeutic advances, many studies had small sample sizes, heterogeneous patient populations, and varying inclusion criteria. Given the challenges in diagnostics and the critical need to evaluate the efficacy alongside the safety of immunomodulatory and anti-fibrotic therapies in systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD), there remains a strong demand for large, well-designed, multicenter trials with clearly defined patient cohorts to reliably assess the long-term outcomes of agents such as tocilizumab and nintedanib. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Diagnostic Imaging of Autoimmune Diseases)
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