The concept of a rapid whole-body imaging technique with high resolution and the absence of ionizing radiation for the assessment of osseous metastatic disease is a desirable tool. This review article outlines the current perspective of whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in the assessment of skeletal metastatic disease, with comparisons made to alternative whole-body imaging modalities.

Beyond established roles in the assessment of skeletal metastatic disease, in muscle diseases and in myeloma, WBMRI has the potential to offer many further valuable clinical applications. This article presents an overview of emerging clinical applications of WBMRI emphasizing its role in the assessment of musculoskeletal ailments, ranging from the assessment of arthropathy through to body composition research.