Foreword

This issue covers the imaging of arthropathies, from rheumatoid arthritis to arthritis associated with dermatologic conditions. Dr. Tehranzadeh has amassed a core of well-known and respected musculoskeletal radiologists to inform you, the reader, of the most contemporary advances in arthritis imaging.

Arthritis has become a very significant clinical problem to manage now that the population is aging. There are more symptomatic osteoarthritic joints as the "baby boomers" reach middle age and beyond. The advances in the treatment of all kinds of arthritis require the most accurate and advanced assessment of these joints. Magnetic resonance imaging has filled this void, and its use and importance are stressed in this issue. Also, with aging patients, there are more examples of gout and crystal arthropathies such as calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate deposition and hydroxyapatite deposition. With more patients receiving dialysis, amyloid deposition has become a more prevalent condition of joints. Infectious arthropathies remain a serious complication in immunosuppressed patients and AIDS patients.

This issue addresses these and other arthropathies and presents their varied radiologic appearances. We congratulate Dr. Tehranzadeh on a job well done and extend our congratulations on his assembled list of contributors.