Pediatric image-guided nonvascular musculoskeletal interventions

Abstract

Image-guided procedures involving the musculoskeletal (MSK) system of children can be challenging because of the variability posed by the child's age, skeletal maturity, and the stage of development. The imaging findings of the maturing MSK system and the underlying diseases affecting children, particularly those that are skeletally immature, can differ significantly from typical adults. The breadth of possible MSK procedures performed by an interventional radiology service depends on the availability of local expertise/experience as well as the referral patterns. In our practice, the majority of nonvascular MSK procedures involve children with a sequela of pain and in need of a therapeutic intervention. We describe our techniques for our more commonly performed MSK procedures, including corticosteroid injections, treating osteoid osteomas, and performance of image-guided bone biopsies and foreign body removal.