PReS-FINAL-1013: Magnetic resonance imaging as a non-invasive tool to assess muscle edema in juvenile dermatomyositis. Return to normal after treatment.

Juvenile Dermatomyositis (JDM) is the most common idiopathic inflammatory myopathy in childhood, a systemic vasculopathy that usually affects skin and skeletal muscle but also can affect gastrointestinal tract and other organs. Diagnosis is based on Bohan and Peter's criteria and the goal of treatment includes control of skin and muscle symptoms and prevent disease complications. Stepwise aggressive treatment decreases JDM activity and improves long-term outcome. Role of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a non invasive tool to asses muscle edema have increased last years with a diagnostic sensitivity being 76%, compared with 64% for creatine kinase and ability to distinguish between active JDM patients and inactive healthy children. Attempt to establish MRI scores have been done whether evaluating thigh muscle groups or whole body MRI.