MR imaging of the wrist

The use of MR imaging in the area of the wrist has lagged due to the technical challenges posed by the small size of the structures of the wrist. After a careful history, physical examination, and plain films, MR imaging is a powerful next imaging study for solving diagnostic problems involving this complex region. The increasing ability of MR imaging to diagnose wrist abnormalities noninvasively has led to a decrease in the use of invasive techniques.