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While conventional radiography and MRI have a well-established role in the assessment of patients with knee osteoarthritis, ultrasound is considered a complementary and additional tool. Moreover, the actual usefulness of ultrasound is still a matter of debate in knee osteoarthritis assessment. Despite that, ultrasound offers several advantages and interesting aspects for both current clinical practice and future perspectives. Ultrasound is potentially a helpful tool in the detection of anomalies such as cartilage degradation, osteophytes, and synovitis in cases of knee osteoarthritis. Furthermore, local diagnostic and minimally invasive therapeutic operations pertaining to knee osteoarthritis can be safely guided by real-time ultrasound imaging. We are constantly observing a growing knowledge and awareness among radiologists and other physicians, concerning ultrasound imaging. Ultrasound studies can be extremely useful to track the response to various therapies. For this specific aim, tele-ultrasonography may constitute an easy tool aiding precise and repeated follow-up controls. Moreover, raw radio-frequency data from US backscattering signals contain more information than B-mode imaging. This paves the way for quantitative in-depth analyses of cartilage, bone, and other articular structures. Overall, ultrasound technologies and their rapid evolution have the potential to make a difference at both the research and clinical levels. This narrative review article describes the potential of such technologies and their possible future implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal epidural lipomatosis is defined by an excessive amount of epidural fat in the spinal canal, usually in the lumbosacral tract: a well-known cause of lumbar pain and spinal stenosis with a possible wide range of neurological symptoms. Recent research data reveal that, nowadays, obesity has become the main cause of spinal epidural lipomatosis. Moreover, this condition was recently recognized as a previously unknown manifestation of metabolic syndrome. Radiological studies (CT and MRI) are the only tools that are able to diagnose the disease non-invasively. Indeed, radiologists play a key role in disease recognition, with subsequent possible implications on patients' systemic health assessments. Despite its clinical importance, the condition is still underreported and neglected. The current literature review summarizes all the main etiologies of spinal epidural lipomatosis, particularly regarding its linkage with metabolic syndrome. An overview of disease characteristics from diagnosis to treatment strategies is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]