Radiographic patterns of soft tissue calcinosis in juvenile dermatomyositis and its clinical implications

Abstract

Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare autoimmune inflammatory disease of muscles affecting children and adolescents with soft tissue calcification and varying systemic involvement. Though diagnosis is primarily by clinical, biochemical and histopathological tests, Imaging has unique significance from characterizing the calcinosis,detecting early changes in muscle in active phase of the disease, diagnosing potential complications,rule out other important differentials, guide biopsies,and assessing the progress on follow up. Four distinct patterns of calcinosis have been described in relation to dermatomyositis which need to be differentiated from other aetiologies of soft tissue calcification and myopathies.