Imaging sports injuries: the future.

OBJECTIVE

To review the application of new imaging technologies to the practice of sports medicine.

DATA SYNTHESIS

Musculoskeletal imaging has dramatically evolved over the past decade. Plain film acquisition, archiving, storage, and interpretation have undergone revolutionary changes, moving into the electronic era. Viewing hard-copy film is becoming obsolete as digital image acquisition and display will eventually render radiology departments filmless. Although it seems unlikely that a new modality will enter the imaging arena in the near future, we will continue to see the development of software and hardware technology that allows rapid acquisition of superior quality cross-sectional image data.

CONCLUSION

As these technologies continue to flourish, diagnosis and treatment planning of the injured athlete will become both more expedient and more accurate.