MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING OF THE ELBOW

With the current popularity of racket and throwing sports, the number of individuals seeking medical care for elbow pain and dysfunction has increased rapidly. Before the development and implementation of magne tic resonance imaging (MRI), radiologic imaging examinations provided the treating physician limited information to determine the precise et iology of elbow disorders, because they usually involve soft-tissue st ructures. With MRI, it is now possible to accurately assess the integr ity of the ligaments, tendons, and muscles surrounding the elbow, and to detect pathologic changes in these tissues secondary to acute macro trauma or chronic microtrauma, e.g., overuse injuries. By defining the nature and extent of these abnormalities, the choice of the appropria te therapeutic regimen is facilitated. With MRI, it is also now possib le to noninvasively evaluate the natural history of these soft-tissue disorders and to determine the effects of different therapeutic interv entions.