Inflammatory processes commonly affect the musculoskeletal system and cause a huge burden of mortality globally. From an imaging perspective, these diseases are notable because there are numerous treatments available (particularly biologic therapies) that are highly effective but have important side effects (immunosuppression, cancer) and are expensive. Imaging therefore plays a crucial role in determining which patients should receive treatment, which treatment should be used, and at what point in a patient's disease course. However, imaging of these diseases is not trivial because inflammatory processes are complex and because active inflammation and the tissue damage it causes can be difficult to disentangle. In general, there is a need to improve the characterisation of inflammatory processes and to refine the use of imaging of inflammatory diseases in clinical practice. This session provides a comprehensive overview of the pathophysiology of immune-mediated inflammation, fundamental imaging principles for probing inflammatory processes, and how MRI is utilized in clinical scenarios, including in arthritis, myositis, neuropathy, and infectious disease.

Skill Level: Intermediate