Approach to MR Imaging of the Elbow and Wrist: Technical Aspects and Innovation

Abstract

Wrist and elbow MR imaging technology is advancing at a dramatic rate. Wrist and elbow MR imaging is performed at medium and higher field strengths with more specialized surface coils and more variable pulse sequences and postprocessing techniques. High field imaging and improved coils lead to an increased signal-to-noise ratio and increased variety of soft tissue contrast options. Three-dimensional imaging is improving in terms of usability and artifacts. Some of these advances have challenges in wrist and elbow imaging, such as postoperative patient imaging, cartilage mapping, and molecular imaging. This review considers technical advances in hardware and software and their clinical applications.

Keywords: Cartilage mapping; Elbow; High field imaging; Isotropic imaging; MR imaging; Metallic implants; Phased array coils; Wrist.