Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Diaphragm: From Normal to Pathologic Findings

The diaphragm is a musculotendinous structure that divides the chest from the abdomen. Its motility, unintentional or voluntary, is crucial for the physiologic respiratory function due to its contribution to lung volume expansion and contraction. Therefore, diaphragmatic dysfunction may cause a respiratory failure without any pathology of the lungs. Different imaging modalities can be employed for diaphragmatic evaluation. Among all, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has demonstrated to be the most accurate technique in providing a morphologic and functional assessment of the diaphragm as well as information about the adjacent structures. However, its diagnostic value is still underrated and its performance is often far from the daily clinical practice. Backward, physicians and radiologists should be aware of the undoubted advantages of MRI and confident about the normal or pathologic imaging features, to avoid misdiagnosis.