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Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the mainstay of diagnosis, staging and follow-up of much musculoskeletal pathology. Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) is a recent addition to the MR sequences conventionally employed. DWI provides qualitative and quantitative functional information concerning the microscopic movements of water at the cellular level. A number of musculoskeletal disorders have been evaluated by DWI, including vertebral fractures, bone marrow infection, bone marrow malignancy, primary bone and soft tissue tumours; post-treatment follow-up has also been assessed. Differentiation between benign and malignant vertebral fractures by DWI and monitoring of therapy response have shown excellent results. However, in other pathologies, such as primary soft tissue tumours, DWI data have been inconclusive in some cases, contributing little additional information beyond that gained from conventional MR sequences. The aim of this article is to critically review the current literature on the contribution of DWI to musculoskeletal MRI.

Myositis ossificans (MO) is characterized by abnormal heterotopic bone formation involving striated muscle, tendons, ligaments, fasciae, and aponeuroses. Myocardium, the diaphragm, tongue, larynx, smooth muscle, and sphincters are all spared. Several subtypes of myositis ossificans exist: posttraumatic myositis ossificans (PTMO), nontraumatic/pseudomalignant myositis ossificans, and myositis ossificans progressiva (MOP). This article reviews the clinical features and differential diagnoses of each subtype of MO and illustrates the typical imaging features demonstrated by plain radiography, ultrasound, radionuclide bone scans, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging.

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