The expanding role of imaging in the diagnosis and management of sports injuries

BACKGROUND: Medical imaging has an increasing role in the early diagnosis and management of sports injuries. Post-injury management decisions are becoming more heavily dependent on imaging findings. Timely use of appropriate imaging for sports injuries is required for optimal outcomes. OBJECTIVE: The aims of this article are to discuss a range of imaging options that are available in the clinical setting of sports injury, and to provide an insight into the role of each imaging modality and image-guided procedures in enabling early return to activity for the athlete. DISCUSSION: Although imaging is playing an increasing part in the diagnosis and management of sports injuries, the role of each modality is not usually clear because of a considerable overlap of roles of these modalities. A succinct summary of imaging modalities commonly used in the clinical setting of sporting injuries is presented in this article, including the relative merits for choosing the correct imaging modality.