Stress Injuries to Bone
Key Facts • Characteristics of fatigue fractures include: (1) the activity is new or different for the individual; (2) it is strenuous; and (3) the activity is repeated with a…
Arthrography and Injection Procedures
Key Facts • Intraarticular contrast injection under image guidance can be combined with radiography to evaluate intraarticular structures or with computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to provide…
Imaging Findings of Drug-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders
Key Facts • Osteoporosis, osteomalacia, osteosclerosis, hyperostosis, and osteonecrosis may be related to drug effects. • Methotrexate osteopathy is characterized by bone pain, osteoporosis, and insufficiency fractures. • Antiepileptic drugs…
Imaging Arthropathies Associated with Malignant Disorders
Key Points • Secondary hypertrophic osteoarthropathy (HOA) is most often due to malignancies, especially non-small cell lung cancer. • HOA may be due to nonpulmonary conditions. • Bone scan findings…
Infarction and Osteonecrosis
Key Facts • The terms osteonecrosis (ON) and avascular necrosis (AVN) are usually used interchangeably. The term infarct usually refers to identical changes occurring in the marrow cavity rather than…
Ultrasound
Key Facts • Ultrasound is now a well-established imaging modality helping early diagnosis and follow-up of rheumatologic disorders. • Dynamic ultrasound imaging and assessment of vascularity are among the most…
Imaging of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Key Facts • Imaging findings in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) reflect the pathophysiology of the disease. • Early radiographic findings include fusiform soft tissue swelling and juxtaarticular osteoporosis. • Later radiographic…
Scintigraphy of the Musculoskeletal System
Key Facts • The three-phase bone scan consists of (1) an early blood flow phase that reflects vascularity, (2) a blood pool phase that shows the level of soft tissue…
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Key Facts • Clinical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures the spatial distribution of protons in the body. • Gradient coils are used to provide spatial information. The changing gradients are…
Dual X-Ray Absorptiometry
Key Facts • Central dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning has become the clinical gold standard for bone mineral density assessment. • Measurement of hip bone mineral density (BMD) by DXA…
