Beyond the Joint: Advances in Musculoskeletal Imaging and Sports Radiology
A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Imaging and Theranostics".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 October 2026 | Viewed by 41
Special Issue Editor
Interests: musculoskeletal medicine; osteoarticular disorders; sport-related injury; sports imaging; orthopaedic interventional radiology; sports medicine; diagnostic imaging; sonography; radiology; magnetic resonance imaging
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
We are pleased to invite you to contribute to the Special Issue Beyond the Joint: Advances in Musculoskeletal Imaging and Sports Radiology. This Issue will focus on two complementary yet distinct areas:
- The evolving role of musculoskeletal (MSK) imaging in medicine.
- Sports radiology, which extends beyond the MSK system to include the evaluation and management of various sport- and exercise-related conditions affecting multiple organ systems.
MSK imaging is a cornerstone of diagnostic radiology and is increasingly integrated into clinical decision-making. It supports diagnosis, treatment planning, and monitoring across a wide range of conditions involving the locomotor system—including traumatic, degenerative, inflammatory, infectious, metabolic, and neoplastic disorders. Key areas of innovation include imaging-guided interventions, radiomics, artificial intelligence, and the development of advanced cross-sectional techniques for both structural and functional assessment.
Sports radiology, by contrast, focuses on the specific imaging needs associated with physical activity and athletic participation. With increasing engagement in sports across all age groups—including individuals with chronic illnesses or comorbidities—radiology now plays a role in evaluating conditions beyond the MSK domain, such as cardiopulmonary, abdominal, and systemic pathologies in physically active patients. Within the MSK scope, it encompasses imaging of acute injuries, overuse syndromes, biomechanics-related adaptations, injury prevention strategies, and return-to-play assessment. Imaging is increasingly valued not only as a diagnostic tool but also for monitoring training effects, guiding rehabilitation strategies, and supporting individualized return-to-sport decisions.
Additionally, there is a growing need for radiology to be involved in the medical management of outdoor physical activity and extreme sports, responding to the unique biomechanics and environmental demands of these practices.
In this Special Issue, we welcome original research articles, reviews, case reports, video submissions, and pictorial essays related to either domain. We look forward to receiving your valuable contributions to this dynamic and multidisciplinary field.
This Special Issue is organized in collaboration with EXTREMESPORTMED—INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE FOR OUTDOOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND EXTREME SPORTS (https://extremesportmed.org).
Dr. Francesco Feletti
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- sports radiology
- musculoskeletal imaging
- diagnostic imaging
- artificial intelligence
- orthopaedics
- extreme sports
- outdoor sports
- outdoor physical activity
- one health
- health policy
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