Magnetic resonance imaging of renal osteodystrophy in children.
BACKGROUND
Improved life expectancy of children with chronic renal failure (CRF) has increased the number of patients with renal osteodystrophy and has brought to light novel and severe forms of the disease. These factors have contributed to the need to evaluate new, noninvasive imaging modalities for the detection of bone involvement.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the potential of MRI in the detection of the bone changes of renal osteodystrophy as compared to conventional X-rays.


METHODS
Fourteen children with CRF were examined with a 0.5-T MR unit using TI-weighted and STIR sequences and conventional radiographs. The following features were reviewed in a nonblinded study: skeletal deformities, thickening of cortical bone, trabecular pattern, intraosseous soft-tissue masses, osteonecrosis, extraskeletal calcifications and bone marrow signal changes.


RESULTS
MRI adequately demonstrated skeletal deformities, cortical thickening and irregular trabecular pattern. It showed osteonecrosis and intraosseous soft-tissue masses more conspicuously than X-ray. In addition, it revealed diffuse nonspecific signal changes in the bone marrow.


CONCLUSIONS
MRI is a potentially useful tool for evaluating the bone changes of renal osteodystrophy.
Olmastroni
M
M
Department of Radiology, S. Maria Nuova Hospital, Florence, Piazza S. Maria Nuova 1, I-50 122 Florence, Italy.
Seracini
D
D
Lavoratti
G
G
Marin
E
E
Masi
A
A
Vichi
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D012080:Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral and Bone Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography