Background: Inflammatory changes of the foot are comparatively rare and can be a challenge for radiologists with respect to the differential diagnosis, especially in cases with pre-existing degenerative changes of the foot skeleton. Comprehensive anamnesis and the use of contrast-enhanced MRI diagnostics are therefore often essential for diagnosis.
Objectives: This review provides a cursory overview of the morphological characteristics of inflammatory changes of the foot and their differential diagnoses with a focus on osteomyelitis, joint infections, rheumatological diseases and tenosynovitis.
Keywords: Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging; Foot joints; Joint infections; Soft tissue infections; Tendinitis.