MRI Protocol for the Assessment of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis of the Wrist: Recommendations from the OMERACT MRI in JIA Working Group and Health-e-Child.

Abstract

To the Editor: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the only imaging tool that allows us to assess all relevant structures in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA): the synovium, cartilage, bone, ligaments, and tendon sheaths. The interpretation of the MRI of the wrist in patients with JIA is challenging because of the complex anatomy and the presence of normal variants mimicking pathology1,2. There is a need for a consensus of MRI interpretation in children with JIA and a universal protocol for MRI acquisition, which can enable uniformity of identification of all involved structures. From 2012 onward, an international collaborative network of clinical and radiological experts on imaging in JIA has set out to standardize the challenging MRI acquisition and interpretation of JIA … Address correspondence to Dr. C.M. Nusman, Academic Medical Center, Radiology, Meibergdreef 9, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, the Netherlands. E-mail: c.m.nusman{at}amc.nl