title: Diffusion-weighted imaging in musculoskeletal radiology-clinical applications and future directions.
abstract: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is an established diagnostic tool with regards to the central nervous system (CNS) and research into its application in the musculoskeletal system has been growing. It has been shown that DWI has utility in differentiating vertebral compression fractures from malignant ones, assessing partial and complete tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), monitoring tumor response to therapy, and characterization of soft-tissue and bone tumors. DWI is however less useful in differentiating malignant vs. infectious processes. As of yet, no definitive qualitative or quantitative properties have been established due to reasons ranging from variability in acquisition protocols to overlapping imaging characteristics. Even with these limitations, DWI can still provide clinically useful information, increasing diagnostic accuracy and improving patient management when magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings are inconclusive. The purpose of this article is to summarize recent research into DWI applications in the musculoskeletal system.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; 2 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA ; 3 Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern 3010, Switzerland ; 4 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ; 5 Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bhojwani
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; 2 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA ; 3 Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern 3010, Switzerland ; 4 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ; 5 Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Szpakowski
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; 2 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA ; 3 Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern 3010, Switzerland ; 4 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ; 5 Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Sasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Partovi
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; 2 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA ; 3 Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern 3010, Switzerland ; 4 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ; 5 Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Martin H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Maurer
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; 2 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA ; 3 Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern 3010, Switzerland ; 4 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ; 5 Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Grosse
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; 2 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA ; 3 Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern 3010, Switzerland ; 4 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ; 5 Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Hendrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: von Tengg-Kobligk
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; 2 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA ; 3 Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern 3010, Switzerland ; 4 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ; 5 Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zipp-Partovi
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; 2 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA ; 3 Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern 3010, Switzerland ; 4 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ; 5 Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fergus
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; 2 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA ; 3 Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern 3010, Switzerland ; 4 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ; 5 Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kosmas
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; 2 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA ; 3 Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern 3010, Switzerland ; 4 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ; 5 Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Konstantin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Radiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; 2 Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA ; 3 Institute of Diagnostic, Interventional and Pediatric Radiology, Inselspital University Hospital Bern, Freiburgstrasse, Bern 3010, Switzerland ; 4 Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany ; 5 Department of Pediatrics, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Robbin
keywords: Diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI); PET/MRI; inflammatory conditions; magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); musculoskeletal neoplasms; therapy assessment