Pediatric Musculoskeletal Disorders: Keeping it Straight to Accurate Diagnosis

Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders are commonly encountered in the pediatric population. Many of these childhood musculoskeletal disorders reflect pathology in underlying growth and developmental processes unique to the pediatric population. Imaging evaluation has become the key to diagnostic assessment of various musculoskeletal disorders in the pediatric population. This review article focuses on up-to-date imaging techniques and characteristic imaging findings of select and clinically important pediatric musculoskeletal disorders frequently encountered in daily clinical practice. A clear understanding of optimal imaging and characteristic imaging findings of pediatric specific musculoskeletal disorders has a great potential for improving timely and accurate diagnosis. This, in turn, will result in optimal management of pediatric patients with underlying congenital and acquired musculoskeletal disorders.