Multiparameter MRI assessment of normal-appearing and diseased vertebral bone marrow.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate spin-lattice (T1) and spin-spin (T2) relaxation times as well as apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) of the fat and water components in the vertebral bone marrow (vBM) of patients with benign and malignant lesions.


METHODS
Forty-four patients were examined at 1.5 T: there were 24 osteoporotic vertebral fractures (15 women, 9 men; median age: 73, 48-86 years) and 20 malignant vertebral infiltrations (9 women, 11 men; median age: 60, 25-87). Relaxation times were determined separately for the water and the fat component using a saturation-recovery technique for T1 and measurements with variable echo times for T2. ADCs were determined with a diffusion-weighted (DW) echo-planar imaging (EPI) and a single-shot turbo-spin-echo (ssTSE) sequence.


RESULTS
T1 of the water component and ADCs were significantly increased in the lesions compared with normal-appearing vBM (malignant: 1,252 vs. 828 ms, osteoporotic: 1,315 vs. 872 ms). ADCs determined with the DW-ssTSE were significantly increased compared with the DW-EPI. ADCs determined with the DW-ssTSE differed significantly between osteoporotic and malignant lesions (1.74 vs 1.35 x 10⁻³ mm²/s.


CONCLUSIONS
All parameters exhibit significant differences between normal-appearing vBM and the lesions. However, only the ADCs determined with the DW-ssTSE differed significantly between osteoporotic fractures and malignant lesions, potentially allowing for a differential diagnosis of these two entities.
Biffar
Andreas
A
Josef Lissner Laboratory for Biomedical Imaging, Institute of Clinical Radiology, LMU University Hospitals Munich-Grosshadern, Marchioninistr. 15, 81377 Munich, Germany.
Baur-Melnyk
Andrea
A
Schmidt
Gerwin P
GP
Reiser
Maximilian F
MF
Dietrich
Olaf
O
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D017352:Echo-Planar Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058866:Osteoporotic Fractures / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012673:Semustine; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D013131:Spine / Q000473:pathology*
D012673:Semustine