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.