MRI of Musculotendinous Injuries—Part I: “Non-strain” Injuries

Muscle injuries have been consequential since ancient times, but evaluation of such injuries entered a new era with the advent of MRI. The pace of muscle injury research has accelerated in recent years, with new insights on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. This article reviews the current highlights in our understanding of musculotendinous injuries diagnosed by MRI, particularly: (1) direct injuries and their sequelae (e.g., contusion, hematoma, heterotopic ossification, muscle herniation, and chronic exertional compartment syndrome); (2) characteristic manifestations of tensile injuries in children at the apophysis and adults at areas of tendinopathy; and (3) differential diagnostic considerations for abnormal signal intensity seen on MRI.