BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is regarded as a method of choice for detection and evaluation of the severity of muscle injuries, for identifying the anatomic location, for predicting the outcome and assessing the therapeutic response.
The main advantages of MRI are: no ionizing radiation, multiplane visualization of the injured structures and brilliant soft tissue resolution.
MAIN BODY: The aim of this presentation is to give young radiologists the principles of using normal and compartmental anatomy, common and supplemental magnetic resonance imaging techniques in combination with the mandatory clinical knowledge /points of pain, mechanism of trauma and risk factors/ and thus to improve their diagnostic quality.
The general categories of muscle injuries like muscle strain and muscle contusion are discussed as well as the imaging grading of the latter.
Solutions of imaging problems, pearls and pitfalls are also presented.
References are indicated at the end of the lecture.
CONCLUSION: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is regarded as method of choice for detection and evaluation of the severity of muscle injuries.
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