Medical imaging and MRI in nail disorders: report of 119 cases and review of the literature

Radiographs remain the golden standard for exploration of the bony structures located beneath the nail plate, but they provide no information on the perionychium. Until a few years ago the nail apparatus was deprived of investigative medical imaging. Glomus tumor was the only condition that was explored using invasive techniques such as angiography or scintigraphy. High-frequency ultrasound rapidly came up against technical limits. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a superior alternative in detection of distal lesions as well as their relationship with the adjacent structures. MRI provides an accurate analysis of the nail apparatus with detection of lesions as small as 1 mm. This noninvasive technique will allow us to better understand, diagnose, and treat pathologies of the distal phalanx.