Conventional radiography of hands has been the imaging technique used for the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, considering its easy access and ability to reveal structural damage. However, it does not provide information about inflammatory activity or prognosis of this disease. On the other hand, magnetic resonance imaging is becoming the technique of choice for the early diagnosis of this disease and for the assessment of treatment response. It has a better sensitivity for the detection of inflammatory findings that cannot be identified with physical examination, analytical and conventional imaging techniques. This article reports the imaging protocol for magnetic resonance of the hands used at our institution for the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. We also review the main imaging findings of the disease.