Bone marrow changes in stress injuries

Stress injuries and associated bone marrow changes are a common finding in athletes of all levels. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the imaging modality of choice for detecting characterizing and staging these injuries. However, because bone marrow edema patterns may also be seen in asymptomatic athletes, it is imperative for the sports medicine physician and the radiologist to closely correlate the imaging findings with the clinical signs and symptoms to assess the clinical significance of the imaging findings. This article reviews the pathophysiology, MRI findings, and clinical implications of stress injuries in athletes.