Radiological approaches to pediatric joint disease

With the recent advances that have become available with imaging, we are able to gain considerable information about joint diseases. Although conventional radiography still plays a very important part in the diagnosis of joint disease, ultrasound, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear medicine studies have all enhanced our ability to evaluate joint disorders. Each of these modalities need not be used in every patient but when chosen carefully, can efficiently provide useful information both for diagnosis and management. These various modalities are also extremely useful to rule out the mimics of joint disease. Magnetic resonance has recently been shown to be useful in evaluation of dermatomyositis and of vasculitides in the brain.