Signal characteristics of focal bone marrow lesions in patients with multiple myeloma using whole body T1w-TSE, T2w-STIR and diffusion-weighted imaging with background suppression.
OBJECTIVE
This study analyses the diagnostic potential of Diffusion-Weighted Imaging with Background Suppression (DWIBS) in the detection of focal bone marrow lesions from multiple myeloma. The signal and contrast properties of DWIBS are evaluated in correlation with the serum concentration of M-component (MC) and compared with established T1- and T2-weighted sequences.


METHODS
Data from 103 consecutive studies in 81 patients are analysed retrospectively. Signal intensities and apparent Diffusion Coefficients (ADC) of 79 focal lesions in the lumbar spine or pelvis of 38 patients are determined and contrast-to-noise-ratio (CNR) is calculated. Data from patients with low (<20 g/L) and high (>20 g/dL) MC are evaluated separately.


RESULTS
Signal intensities of focal myeloma lesions on T2w-STIR vary significantly depending on the MC, which leads to a loss in CNR in patients with high MC. No signal variation is observed for T1w-TSE and DWIBS. The CNR values provided by DWIBS in patients with high MC are slightly higher than those of T2w-STIR. ADC values in patients with low MC are significantly higher than in patients with high MC.


CONCLUSIONS
Whole-body DWIBS has the potential to improve the conspicuity of focal myeloma lesions and provides additional biological information by ADC quantification.
Sommer
Gregor
G
Department of Radiology, University of Basel Hospital, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland. gsommer@uhbs.ch
Klarhöfer
Markus
M
Lenz
Claudia
C
Scheffler
Klaus
K
Bongartz
Georg
G
Winter
Leopold
L
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000473:pathology*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D051598:Whole Body Imaging