MR IMAGING OF THE PAINFUL WRIST

Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging is an effective method for helping det ermine the cause of wrist pain by demonstrating a broad spectrum of ab normalities, including those of bone, cartilage, Ligaments, and tendon s, MR imaging is useful in the detection, characterization, and stagin g of osseous injury and disease, although computed tomography provides superior detail in the depiction of bone, MR imaging may demonstrate irregular cartilage loss in noninflammatory arthropathies such as oste oarthritis, and its superior soft-tissue contrast makes it the method of choice for evaluating the synovial processes, Although arthrography remains the standard of reference in the detection of perforations of the principal intrinsic ligaments of the wrist, three-dimensional MR imaging has shown promise in depicting the small interosseous ligament s, Tendinitis, tenosynovitis, ganglia, and anatomic variants can be di agnosed and accurately assessed with MR imaging, Radiologists need to be aware of the full spectrum of wrist abnormalities and the character istic MR imaging findings that accompany them.