MRI-Guided Interventions in Musculoskeletal System

Image-guided interventions in the musculoskeletal system require accurate detection and characterization of lesions involving bone and soft tissues. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has superior soft tissue contrast resolution particularly in bone and soft tissues where computed tomography and ultrasonography have significant limitations. In addition, the multiplanar imaging capabilities of MRI facilitate targeting lesions and tracking interventional devices. Although conventional diagnostic MRI sequences suffer from motion sensitivity and prolonged imaging time, recently developed fast imaging sequences allow for rapid acquisition of high-quality images, rendering MRI more suitable for image-guided interventions. Although computed tomography and ultrasonography still dominate the spectrum of image-guided interventions in the musculoskeletal system, many MRI-guided procedures have been developed and are well established in routine clinical work. In addition, new techniques and novel MRI-guided applications are being developed to address complex clinical problems in a minimally invasive fashion.