Three Basic Patterns of Abnormal Signal Intensity in Muscle MRI

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• The “muscle edema pattern” may be seen with recent trauma (e.g., strain injury), as well as with subacute denervation, infectious or autoimmune myositis, rhabdomyolysis, vascular insult (e.g., diabetic muscle infarction, deep venous thrombosis) or recent iatrogenic insults (e.g., surgery, radiation therapy).
• The “fatty infiltration pattern” may be observed in the chronic setting after a high-grade myotendinous injury, as well as with other insults causing chronic muscle disuse or chronic denervation.
• The “mass lesion pattern” can be seen with traumatic injuries (e.g., myositis ossificans), as well as with neoplasm, infection (e.g., pyomyositis, parasitic infection), and muscular sarcoidosis.