Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Osteoarthritis

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a complex technology which has advanced rapidly since its introduction to medical science in the early 1970s, and which has revolutionized medical imaging in general. A non-invasive technique with no ionizing radiation, MRI depicts anatomy with true multiplanar versatility and provides three dimensional (3-D) images in arbitrary orientations, though it is relatively expensive and time consuming. Because earlier MRI technique had limited spatial resolution and poor contrast between cartilage and adjacent structures, the use of MRI in osteoarthritis has been comparatively slow to develop. Many of these earlier difficulties have been overcome by progressive improvements in MRI hardware, e.g., gradient strength and performance and coil design, and to the development of more efficient pulse sequences and cartilage-selective techniques [1–3]. Generally, patients tolerate this technique well, allowing repeated serial examinations, and offering the opportunity to register serially acquired images, and to monitor changes over time. Clinical MRI systems at most major hospitals in the world can perform sophisticated examinations making multi-institutional and even multinational investigations feasible [4, 5]. MRI will undoubtedly play an increasingly important role in the development of our understanding of osteoarthritis as well as in our efforts to combat the disease.