The role of musculoskeletal imaging includes:

 Confirmation of the presence of a skeletal lesion

 Definition of the morphologic characteristics of the lesion
 Performance of sequential investigation in a proper order, to refine the differential diagnosis
of individual lesions
 To characterize the features, location, and distribution of skeletal disorders
 Identification of “don’t touch” lesions, including lesions necessitating no further active
investigation or treatment
 Recognition of the limits of imaging,
 Staging of malignant tumors, and identification of tumor recurrence
 Guidance for invasive procedures, such as targeted biopsy
 Monitoring progress of lesions
 Identification of complications of treatment

Bullough PG. Orthopaedic Pathology 5 th Edition. 2010.