Molecular and Functional Imaging of Musculoskeletal Pain, Inflammation, and Arthritis

As an integral part of the medical management of patients experiencing pain, we medical imagers desperately need to do better to help those who suffer. Individuals with musculoskeletal pain and inflammation are among the largest populations seeking medical attention worldwide. Yet our ability to pinpoint pain generators accurately remains elusive, and our current imaging approaches can be misleading. For example, current imaging used to diagnose the cause of pain in an individual can generate false positives leading to unnecessary surgeries, especially in an aging population where age-related degenerative changes abound. Alternatively, our current imaging is not sensitive enough, so much so that imaging can indirectly facilitate the rampant use of opioids as caregivers are unable to identify the source of the pain.