Musculoskeletal radiology deals with the diagnosis and imaging-based treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, i.e. the bones, joints and surrounding soft tissue such as cartilage, muscles and tendons. The diseases most frequently examined in the MSK include the consequences of injuries, e.g. following accidents at home, during sport or in road traffic, and the signs of wear and tear of various joints. In addition, the musculoskeletal radiology team also deals intensively with inflammatory diseases of the musculoskeletal system, such as rheumatoid arthritis, the classic 'rheumatism'. Another focus is on benign and malignant diseases of the bone and soft tissue, which are generally rare but are diagnosed and treated at the MHH.

Musculoskeletal radiology makes use of all radiology procedures. A few X-ray imagesare often sufficient to detect or rule out bone fractures.

In the case of complicated fractures or anatomically complex regions of the body, such as the spine or pelvis, it is sometimes necessary to perform a computer tomography. This is also an X-ray procedure, but it is able to produce 'sectional images' without overlapping. These images can then be used to calculate spatial 3D views, which help to assess the injuries more accurately in individual cases and to better plan any necessary surgery.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI ) is the preferred method when it comes to imaging soft tissue, e.g. ligament injuries in the knee joint or tumors.

Another procedure that is very well suited to visualizing superficial soft tissue structures is ultrasound, e.g. for diagnosing ligament injuries in the fingers.

Digital X-ray diagnostics of bones and joints:

• Multislice CT
• MRI (1.5T and 3T)
• High-resolution ultrasound diagnostics
• CT and MR arthrography
• CT- and ultrasound-guided biopsies and infiltrations
• Radiofrequency ablation of benign bone tumors

Contact person: Prof. Dr. Dr. Christian von Falck

MTRA: Ms. M. Kinze/Mrs. A. Frick

The Musculoskeletal Radiology competence team relies on state-of-the-art equipment, many years of clinical experience and a lively exchange with other subspecialized centers at national and international level for patient care, teaching and research. The Department is one of the first accredited training centers in Germany for the two-year additional qualification "Musculoskeletal Radiology".