Whole-Body Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Rheumatic and Systemic Diseases: From Emerging to Validated Indications

Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 2018 Nov;26(4):581-597. doi: 10.1016/j.mric.2018.06.005. Epub 2018 Sep 15.

Abstract

Whole-body magnetic resonance (MR) imaging techniques and protocols have been evolving continuously for the last 20 years, resulting in a powerful and mature tool for the detection, staging, and treatment monitoring of many oncologic and musculoskeletal disorders. The unique contrast resolution of MR imaging makes this imaging modality highly sensitive to pathologic alterations in bones, muscles, entheses, joints, and soft tissues, enabling this method to be expanded to the whole musculoskeletal system. Whole-body MR imaging is now used in numerous rheumatic, bone, and muscle disorders, and a full range of developing applications for this method have been emerging.

Keywords: Arthritis; Bone; Diffusion-weighted MR imaging; Joint; MR imaging; Muscles; Rheumatism; Whole-body imaging.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Arthritis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*
  • Musculoskeletal System / diagnostic imaging*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Rheumatology / methods*
  • Whole Body Imaging / methods*