PET Imaging in Osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is a common cause of pain and morbidity resulting in heavy economic burden and large societal costs. Although cross-sectional imaging and in particular MR imaging have largely contributed to a better understanding of the complexity of this complex disease, especially in large joints such as the hip and knee joints, metabolic information of the subchondral bone and periarticular synovial environment has been consistently suggested to provide valuable supplemental information to morphologic and compositional MR imaging. The aim of this narrative review is to provide an overview of the role of the hybrid PET imaging in osteoarthritis with particular focus on PET/MR imaging.