Current status of magnetic resonance imaging of the wrist

Conventional imaging of the wrist has relied heavily on plain radiography, tomography, fluoroscopy and arthrography. More recently, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been added to this armamentarium. In this article the authors review the normal anatomy of the wrist and demonstrate a variety of pathologic conditions that can be assessed with MRI, including avascular necrosis and tears of the intrinsic and the extrinsic ligaments and the triangular fibrocartilage. MRI of the wrist is still evolving rapidly, and its place in the work-up of wrist disorders is only now being defined.