Use of gadolinium-DTPA in inflammatory skeletal diseases

In bacterial osteomyelitis and arthritis paraossal spreading is sensitively detected by gadolinium-DTPA. Abscessous cavities and membranes are better imaged than with T1- and T2-weighted MRT sequences without contrast medium. In chronic osteomylitis it is of advantage, that also florid inflammatory processes can be detected. Gadolinium-DTPA selectively induces a signal increase in the synovitic pannus, that allows the differentiation from articular effusion. In inflammed particular soft tissue only a retarded signal increase is detectable. (author)