Objective To explore the value and imaging characteristics of MRI in assessing the severity of hemophilia arthropathy(HA) in children. Methods 30 patients diagnosed clinically with HA in our hospital from May 2013 to May 2014 were selected as the observation group, and 30 normal healthy children of the same age hospitalized for the same period were selected as the control group.The imaging signs of soft tissue and bone cartilage were evaluated and quantitatively monitored by the Denver scoring method. The severity of examined joints changes were evaluated and the Fugl-Meyer assessment of joint function in examined children of two groups were compared. And then the Denver scores and Fugl-Meyer rating scales were made correlation analysis. Results Uniform signals without obvious abnormal signals, smooth cartilage surface, clear cartilage lines of each layer,middle-high signal in the surface and low signal in the middle were shown in the conventional sequence in cartilages in the control group. Abnormal cartilage signals with significantly high signals, unclear cartilage layers, rough surface in part of the cartilages, abnormal cartilage signals accompanied by synovial hyperplasia were shown in the conventional sequence of cartilages in the observation group. According to the Denver score, the joints were divided into 0 groups of 7 joints, 1 to 6 groups of 10 joints and 7 to 10 groups of 13 joints.The Fugl-Meyer scores (99.84±0.12) in the control group were significantly higher than those in the observation group(70.25±6.81)(P<0.05). The Fugl-Meyer scores decreased gradually with the higher Denver score in the observation group, therefore the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The Denver score was negatively correlated with the Fugl-Meyer score in patients with HA (r = -0.741, P <0.001). Conclusion The Denver scoring method can quantify be abnormal signs in MRI images and evaluate and classify the joint damage severity from soft tissue and cartilage of the joint. The Denver scores and Fugl-Meyer scores can indicate the development degree of lesion and the prognosis of joint.