Heading toward a modern imaging approach in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

MR imaging and musculoskeletal ultrasound are expanding their utility in the assessment of patients with chronic inflammatory arthritis. These imaging techniques, by providing additional and more sensitive information over clinical examination and conventional radiographs, are promising tools for the diagnosis, prognosis and assessment of treatment efficacy in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Owing to the peculiarities of the growing skeleton, knowledge of imaging in healthy children is of high priority. A sound understanding of growth-related changes is of foremost value in establishing whether the apparent changes on joint surface reflect real damage or are actually part of normal development. This review explores current evidence and suggests a new workflow for imaging in JIA, in which conventional and modern imaging modalities can be integrated for optimal management.