Imaging of arthropathies and disorders of connective tissue.

The evolution of diagnostic imaging has been recently characterized by a wish for a better understanding of pathogenesis of diseases and by technologic progress. Many authors published papers reexamining old myths and old concepts of osteoarthritis. Correlations between clinical data, radiologic data, and MR findings have allowed better definition of the characteristics of osteoarthritis of the knee. MR imaging is of great value in evaluating rheumatoid arthritis in the early stages and in certain locations such as the cervical spine and temporomandibular joint. New imaging techniques, especially CT and MR imaging, are also useful for accurately diagnosing Andersson lesions and cauda equina syndrome in ankylosing spondylitis as well as sacroiliac joint abnormalities in Crohn's disease.