The authors present their own experience with the diagnosis of rheumatic diseases. The majority of their patients suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, myositis and degenerative skeletal diseases. MR plays an increasingly important role in rheumatic diseases, in particular due to the high sensitivity in detection of arthropathies. It can also contribute to the differential diagnosis between different types of arthritis (partly it can differentiate between psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis) and other acute diseases of the joints such as aseptic necrosis, osteochondral fractures and tumours.

        Key words: magnetic resonance, rheumatoid arthritis, myositis