Filariasis of the ankle: magnetic resonance imaging.

Filariasis is a world health problem that is frequently seen in tropical and subtropical countries. In endemic areas, the clinical spectrum of extremity swelling, lymphangitis, or elephantiasis is usually recognized as filariasis. In the United States, diagnosis of the disease may be more difficult because of lack of familiarity with this infection. We present a case of filaremic arthropathy of the ankle joint and the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of this disease. It is the first reported case of MRI findings in a human patient. MRI has been done on animal models with filariasis, and the findings are similar.