Avascular necrosis of carpal bones.

MR imaging is extremely well suited to detection of early phases of avascular necrosis, permitting diagnosis before collapse of the carpal bones has occurred. The sensitivity of this imaging modality allows differentiation of subtle changes in the bone marrow signal. This is used as criteria for a new stage classification of Kienböck's disease based on MR imaging appearance. The prognosis of scaphoid fractures and estimation of likelihood of avascular necrosis of the proximal fragment can be inferred by using gadolinium enhancement to evaluate the bone marrow vascularity.