MR Imaging of Rheumatic Diseases Affecting the Pediatric Population

Abstract

This article reviews the application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to pediatric rheumatic diseases. MRI can detect early manifestations of arthritis, evaluate the extent of disease, and monitor disease activity and response to treatment.Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common pediatric rheumatic disorder, representing a diverse group of related diseases that share a definition of joint inflammation of unknown origin with onset before 16 years of age and lasting > 6 weeks. JIA may lead to significant functional impairment and is increasingly imaged with MRI to assess for active inflammation as a target for therapy. This is particularly true for juvenile spondyloarthritis that includes multiple subgroups of JIA and primarily involves the spine and sacroiliac joints.Other less common pediatric rheumatic diseases considered here are chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis and collagen vascular diseases including polymyositis, dermatomyositis, scleroderma, and juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus.

Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging findings and patterns of chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis in a series of Greek pediatric patients

“…This disorder is gaining medical momentum in recent years [3][4][5] and is considered the clinical and pathophysiologic counterpart of SA-PHO syndrome in adults, 6 while associated with seronegative arthritides. [7][8][9] CNO can affect almost any bone type, most commonly tibial and femoral metaphyses, followed by pelvic bones, spine, and clavicle, 8,[10][11][12][13] and is characterized by spontaneous remissions and exacerbations. Prompt diagnosis obviates unnecessary investigations and averts chronic skeletal pain and possible future complications, such as vertebral fractures and limb length discrepancies.…”