Musculoskeletal wide detector CT: Principles, techniques and applications in clinical practice and research

•Wide area-detector CT availability is growing steadily.•Advanced techniques such as Dynamic CT, Perfusion CT and dual energy can be used in clinical practice.•Optimal acquisition protocol is needed to increase diagnostic performance and limit dose exposure.•Guidelines for data acquisition and interpretation may increase diagnostic performance and reproducibility.

A progressive increase in the detector width in CT scanners has meant that advanced techniques such as dynamic, perfusion and dual-energy CT are now at the radiologist's disposal. Although these techniques may be important for the diagnosis of various musculoskeletal diseases, data acquisition and interpretation can be challenging. This article offers a practical guide for the use of these tools including acquisition protocol, post-processing options and data interpretation based on 7 years of clinical experience in a tertiary university hospital.