Focus on frontiers in musculoskeletal imaging

Abstract

THE APPLICATIONS OF STATE-OF-THE-ART magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopic techniques to the imaging, diagnosis, and understanding of musculoskeletal physiology and pathophysiology serve as a timely topic of review for expanded clinical applications and understanding of musculoskeletal disease. It is indeed a pleasure to welcome to this issue John V. Crues, III, MD, and Graeme M. Bydder, MB, ChB, as invited guest editors for the JMRI special issue entitled Frontiers in Musculoskeletal Imaging (1). The tradition of annual special issues in JMRI has become a hallmark signature of our journal as a fundamental vehicle to define the state-of-the-art and encourage and enable meaningful applications. The subject special issue will be the first published in 2007 and will follow the highly successful special issue on brain mapping, which was designed, organized, and recruited by Peter Jezzard, PhD, and Richard B. Buxton, PhD, and published by JMRI in June 2006 (2). It is clear to all in the field that the applications of magnetic resonance imaging spectroscopy are ever changing and constantly growing in scope and significance. The accelerating development and improvement of multiple new imaging methods and techniques have stimulated this growth in routine diagnostic imaging and musculoskeletal systems, including computed tomography (CT), MR imaging, MR spectroscopy, nuclear medicine (including positron emission tomography (PET)), and ultrasound, in addition to radiography and arthrography. This special issue seeks to identify current new frontiers and future directions. Future directions will certainly lead toward rapidly developing molecular imaging techniques, including optical coherence tomography. Comments are invited from members of the Society related to the value of this and past special issues to our practice in the field. In addition, suggestions are invited for topics and potential guest editors for future special issues. Finally, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to John Crues and Graeme Bydder for their dedicated efforts, skill and organization, pursuit of excellence, and plain hard work in generating this special issue, which is indeed a significant contribution to the field.