Applications of PET Imaging in the Evaluation of Musculoskeletal Diseases Among the Geriatric Population

Medical imaging plays a particularly important role in the care of elderly patients, in whom complex symptomatology and a high prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases necessitate sensitive imaging modalities. MRI is the most commonly used imaging modality in the evaluation of various musculoskeletal disorders. The integration of positron emission technique and computed tomography as well as magnetic resonance imaging allows for generating complimentary data for accurate and quantitative diagnosis. This article highlights the implementations of molecular imaging probes in the assessment of prevalent musculoskeletal disorders among geriatric population with emphasis on osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, diabetic foot, and prosthetic joint infections. We also discuss the sensitivity of FDG-PET imaging in differentiating polymyalgia rheumatica from other diseases that have similar clinical presentation.