Imaging findings in polymyalgia rheumatica

Abstract

Modern imaging including ultrasound, MRI and PET have all played a pivotal role in characterizing the distinctive musculotendinous pathology that is now recognized to define PMR. Each of these modalities offers inherent advantages and disadvantages relative to availability, cost and radiation exposure, although MRI and hybrid PET/CT are particularly capable of detecting highly sensitive and specific findings, and thus should be considered reliable tools for PMR diagnosis in everyday clinical practice. By contrast, the utility of imaging for monitoring disease activity and predicting long-term clinical outcomes represents areas of ongoing research interest. This narrative review outlines the invaluable contribution made by imaging to our current understanding of PMR as a distinct disease entity and evaluates the diagnostic performance of available modalities together with their future potential for disease activity assessment and prognostication.

Keywords: MRI; PET; PMR; diagnosis; imaging; monitoring; ultrasound.