Lumbar Bone Marrow Research Articles

Age-related distribution of vertebral bone-marrow diffusivity

PurposeTo determine age-related diffusivity changes of the lumbar bone marrow by measurement of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values. Materials and methodsThe local ethics committee approved this study and written informed consent was obtained. The study group comprised 88 individuals including 75 healthy volunteers and 13 patients (48 female, 40 male; mean age 36 years, range 0–84 years). The pediatric cases were recruited from patients. Echo-planar diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) was performed with b-values of 50, 400 and 800s/mm2. ADC-values were calculated and measured in the 1st and 2nd vertebral body of the lumbar spine. Correlation between age and ADC-values was analyzed with Spearman's rho test. ResultsThe ADC values of the vertebral bone marrow of the lumbar spine showed a significant negative correlation with age (rho=−0.398, p=0.001). The mean ADC values (×10−3mm2/s) in the age groups 0–29 years (mean age 18.0 years, n=42) and 30–88 years (mean age 51.6 years, n=46) were 0.54±0.07 and 0.47±0.08, respectively (p<0.001, T-test). No significant differences were found between children and young adults. ConclusionBone marrow ADC values of the lumbar spine show a linear decrease with growing age and thereby reflect the gradual changes of cell composition occurring during marrow conversion.

A Survey of Procedural Sedation and Analgesia Practices in Pediatric Oncology Centers in India

Repeated lumbar punctures (LP) and bone marrow aspirations (BMA) are part of childhood cancer management. Adequate sedation and analgesia for these procedures in a safe environment is desirable. We evaluate current practice related to this in pediatric oncology centers in India. Clinicians attending the 2nd Annual India Pediatric Oncology Initiative meeting at New Delhi in February 2010 were invited to complete a questionnaire. Questionnaires were also sent by email to the remaining major pediatric oncology centers not represented at the meeting. Responses for LP and BMA were separately collated and variability by type of hospital and patient caseload was assessed. Responses were obtained from 26 of 32 centers (81%) approached. A median of 3 personnel (mostly pediatric residents and nurses) were present during the procedures. Some form of sedation and analgesia was used for LP and BMA in 88.5% and 100% centers respectively. However, use of systemic sedation and analgesia (usually midazolam +/- ketamine) for LP and BMA in ≥75% patients was seen in 47.8% and 61.6% centers respectively. General anesthesia was not used in any center. Additional restraint was commonly used and its use was significantly more in public hospitals (p = 0.01). Monitoring was usually done by observation of vital signs, with use of pulse-oximetry in less than half of the centers. There is varied use of sedation and analgesia for LP and BMA in pediatric oncology centers in India. Further research is needed to identify the reasons for this. Availability of resources is likely to be a factor.

Procedural pain in children: education and management. The approach of an Italian pediatric pain center

Pain management should be warranted for all children in every situation. Italian legislation proposes a model for pain assistance based on specialized tertiary centers which provide direct clinical management for complex cases and assure continuous cooperation with hospitals and family pediatricians for managing painful conditions every day. The Procedural Pain Service of the University of Padua Department of Pediatrics applies such model for procedural pain management. We describe activities of Service since January 1, 2006 on two levels: education and training for territorial services and sedation-analgesia when required for invasive and painful procedures. Since 2006 to date, the Service team produced an internal protocol for procedural sedation, developed two master courses, and organized a training program for procedural pain management in the territorial context. Procedural sedation-analgesia service provided overall 10,832 sedations to perform 14,264 procedures for 3,815 patients, median age of 6 years old. The most frequently performed procedures were lumbar puncture and bone marrow aspiration, followed by gastroscopy and bronchoscopy. Most frequently administered drug combinations were local analgesia + intravenous midazolam alone or midazolam and propofol or midazolam and propofol and ketamine; most frequently used non-pharmacological methods were distraction using cartoons and bubbles. Minor adverse events were recorded in 281 cases (2.5%), the most common being desaturation (2.1%). In conclusion, our model functions on two integrated levels, and it can be considered generally applicable as a solution for pain management.

MRI manifestations of bone marrow changes after recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor was subcutaneous injected for healthy adults

Objective To investigate MRI manifestations of lumbar and proximal femoral bone marrow changes before and after recombinant human granulocyte colony stimulating factor (rhG-CSF) was subcutaneous injected for healthy adults. Methods Twenty healthy blood stem cell donors without hematologic disease were enrolled in this study. All of them underwent lumbar sagittal and proximal femur coronal MRI examination with spin echo T1 WI and fat-suppressed T2WI. The first examination were performed before subcutaneous injection of rhG-CSF for comparison. In 4-7 days and 30-60 days after injection, the other two examinations were performed. The signal changes of lumbar and proximal femoral bone marrow were investigated by reading pictures and calculating the contrasted noise ratio (CNR).Results Before rhG-CSF injection, all patients presented normal signal intensity of hone marrow. In 4-7 days after injection, all the 20 cases presented homogeneous signal decrease in lumbar vertebral bodys on T1 WI, accompanied by reduced fatty signal. In proximal femur, patchy or stripped hypointensity areas were found in intertrochanteric and subtrochanteric areas on T1 WI. On fat-suppressed T2 WI images, the signal of lumbar and proximal femoral bone marrow changed to equal or slightly-high signal intensity. In all cases,abnormal signal areas presented in lumbar and proximal femoral bone marrow occurred simultaneously in the same case. In the 10 cases received the third MRI during 30-60 days after rhG-CSF injection, signal intensity of lumbar bone marrow turned to normal in all sequence, but abnormal signal intensity areas were still existed and extended to distal part in femoral bone marrow, which appeared as symmetric stripped or patchy equal or slightly-low signal intensity on T1 WI and equal or slightly-high signal intensity on T2 WI. The CNR of lumbar bone marrow to subcutaneous fat before rhG-CSF injection, in 4-7 days and 30-60 days after rhG-CSF injection were 114. 11 ± 15. 11,71.04 ± 12. 25 and 91.64 ± 1 I. 68, respectively. Significant difference was found between before rhG-CSF injection and 4-7 days after injection ( P ＜ 0. 05 ) , but no significant difference between the others( P ＞ 0. 05 ). Conclusion After injection of rhG-CSF, the short-term changes of hematopoietic cells and fat content in bone marrow can be displayed on MRI, which provided non-invasive information for bone marrow transplantation. Key words: Stem cell transplantation; Bone marrow; Magnetic resonance imaging

Bone marrow infiltration in patients with acute leukemia: dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and its cfinicai significance

Objective Using dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) to evaluate the hemodynamic perfusion characteristics of bone marrow infiltration in patients with acute leukemia (AL). Methods Forty-seven patients with AL received coronal pelvic T1WI DCE-MRI with fast low angle shot (FLASH) sequence. Among them, 25 were initial onset untreated (IOU) patients, 22 were treated AL patients, including 14 with complete remission (CR) and 8 with non-remission ( NR). The hemodynamic perfusion parameters including maximum percentage of enhancement ( Emax ) and slope were determined based on enhancement-time curves ( ETCs ) of iliac and lumbar vertebra. The proportion of marrow myeloblasts was recorded. For all patients, quantitative perfusion parameters of bone marrow infiltration in ilium were compared with those in lumbar. The values of Emax and ES were compared among IOU,CR and NR patients. Correlations between perfusion parameters and histopathological results were assessed. Results In all the 47 patients, the Emax values of bilateral iliac bone marrow ( 15.70 ± 7.06)were slightly higher than that of lumbar bone marrow ( 11. 28 ± 5.52 ), and the difference was statistically significant (P ＜0. 01 ). There was no significant difference in the slop value between bilateral iliac bone marrow (0. 82 ± 0. 12 ) and lumbar bone marrow (0. 80 ± 0. 09 ) ( P ＞ 0. 05 ). In the 25 untreated patients,the Emax and slop values were 17. 15 ± 5.75 and 0. 98 ± 0. 13, respectively; in the 14 CR patients, they were 8. 76 ±3.93 and 0. 26 ± 0. 04, respectively, and in the 8 NR patients, they were 21.62 ± 6. 50 and 1. 38 ± 0. 02, respectively. There was significant difference in the Emax and slop values among the three groups (P＜0. 05). Compared with IOU and NR patients, both the Emax and slop values decreased significantly in iliac bone marrow of AL patients with CR (P ＜ 0. 05 ). There was no significant difference between IOU and NR patients ( P ＞ 0. 05 ). A significant positive correlation was found between Emax value of iliac bone marrow and the proportion of marrow myeloblasts ( r ＝0. 501 ,P ＜0. 05 ). There was a negative correlation between slop value of iliac bone marrow and the proportion of marrow myeloblasts ( r ＝0. 235 ,P ＞0.05). ConclusionsDCE-MRI can be used for evaluating the hemedynamic characteristics of microcirculation of bone marrow infiltration in patients with AL, which can provide useful information in evaluating prognosis and monitoring therapeutic effect. Key words: Acute leukemia; Bone marrow; Infiltration; Dynamic contrast enhancement; Magnetic resonance imaging

The opinion of clinical staff regarding painfulness of procedures in pediatric hematology-oncology: an Italian survey

BackgroundBeliefs of caregivers about patient's pain have been shown to influence assessment and treatment of children's pain, now considered an essential part of cancer treatment. Painful procedures in hematology-oncology are frequently referred by children as the most painful experiences during illness. Aim of this study was to evaluate professionals' beliefs about painfulness of invasive procedures repeatedly performed in Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Units.MethodsPhysicians, nurses, psychologists and directors working in Hemato-Oncology Units of the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology (AIEOP) were involved in a wide-nation survey. The survey was based on an anonymous questionnaire investigating beliefs of operators about painfulness of invasive procedures (lumbar puncture, bone marrow aspirate and bone marrow biopsy) and level of pain management.ResultsTwenty-four directors, 120 physicians, 248 nurses and 22 psychologists responded to the questionnaire. The score assigned to the procedural pain on a 0-10 scale was higher than 5 in 77% of the operators for lumbar puncture, 97.5% for bone marrow aspiration, and 99.5% for bone marrow biopsy. The scores assigned by nurses differed statistically from those of the physicians and directors for the pain caused by lumbar puncture and bone marrow aspiration. Measures adopted for procedural pain control were generally considered good.ConclusionsInvasive diagnostic-therapeutic procedures performed in Italian Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Units are considered painful by all the caregivers involved. Pain management is generally considered good. Aprioristically opinions about pain depend on invasiveness of the procedure and on the professional role.

Comparison of propofol versus propofol–ketamine combination in pediatric oncologic procedures performed by non‐anesthesiologists

Limited data are available on the best option (short acting sedatives, opioids, or ketamine) in oncologic procedural sedation performed by non-anesthesiologists. The aim of the present prospective study is to compare the safety and efficacy of propofol-ketamine versus propofol alone, managed by trained pediatricians, in children with cancer undergoing painful procedures. Data on 121 children with acute lymphatic leukemia (ALL) undergoing procedural sedations (lumbar punctures and bone marrow aspirations) were prospectively collected and included drug doses, side effects, pain assessment, and sedation degree. Children were randomly assigned to one of the two groups: P (n = 62) receiving propofol alone and K (n = 59) in whom a ketamine-propofol combination was used. In group K, the total dose of propofol required was significantly lower than in group P (3.9 ± 3.6 mg/kg vs. 5.1 ± 3.6 mg/kg; P < 0.001). The incidence of hypotension was also significantly lower (11% vs. 39%; P < 0.001). Major O(2) desaturations (defined as SatO(2) < 88%) occurred principally in group P (7 vs. 1; P = 0.05). Both best analgesia and shorter recovery time were obtained with the propofol-ketamine association. No differences were observed in the degree of sedation and in the awakening quality score between the two groups. The combination of propofol and ketamine produced statistically significant clinical advantages combined with a higher profile of safety in children with cancer undergoing painful procedures.

Clinical presentation of retinoblastoma in Malaysia: a review of 64 patients.

To analyze the demography, presenting clinical features, spread of the disease of retinoblastoma in patients who were treated in two tertiary hospitals in Malaysia. In this retrospective study, information of gender, age, race, presenting clinical features, findings of CT scan orbits and brain, lumbar puncture and bone marrow aspiration results were collected from the medical records of retinoblastoma patients diagnosed in Hospital of Universiti Sains Malaysia and General Hospital of Kuala Lumpur over a period of ten years. The data were collected in the same type of proforma from both hospitals. A total of 64 patients were treated in both hospitals together, of whom boys and girls were almost equally affected. The mean age of children at presentation was 24.2 (range 3-84) months, 53 (82.8%) children were under 36 months old. The disease was unilateral in 39 (60.9%) patients. The most common presenting signs were leukocoria in 46 (71.8%), followed by proptosis in 21 (32.8%) patients. Routine screening of the siblings of affected children revealed retinoblastoma in 2 patients. There was intracranial extension in 8 (12.5%) and metastasis in bone marrow in 6 (9.3%) patients. Leukocoria is the most common presentation of retinoblastoma in Malaysia. However, the disease was intraocular in 40 (62.5%) and extraocular (orbital involvement, intracranial and distant metastasis) in 24 (37.5%) patients.

Spontaneous regression of disease manifestations can occur in type 1 Gaucher disease; results of a retrospective cohort study

Gaucher disease (GD) is a lysosomal storage disorder, caused by deficient activity of the enzyme glucocerebrosidase. GD is classically divided into three major phenotypes. The most prevailing form is type 1, which presents with variable hepatosplenomegaly, cytopenia, and/or bone disease. In adult patients with mild manifestations, progress of disease might be slow or even absent. As a consequence, treatment with intravenous enzyme replacement or substrate reduction is not always necessary. In the Netherlands, the follow-up of GD patients is centralized, which allows detailed investigation of untreated patients. A retrospective study was conducted in 18 type 1 GD patients, (2 teenagers: 15 and 16 years of age at first visit) who were not treated for at least one year. The chitotriosidase activity, platelet count, hemoglobin level, lumbar bone marrow fat content measured with quantitative chemical shift imaging (QCSI), liver ratio (ml/kg body weight), and spleen volume were recorded. Criteria were developed to score regression, stability or progression of disease. During a mean follow up of 4.5 years (range 1.1–12.2) seven patients (39%) showed spontaneous regression of GD. Eight patients (44%) were stable. Two patients had progressive disease, solely based upon a sustained increase in chitotriosidase activity. A pediatric patient had an increase in splenomegaly but an improvement in bone marrow fat fraction, probably due to aging. Nine patients fulfilled the local criteria to start treatment at first visit, of whom six started treatment within 1.1 to 6.8 years. The other three refused therapy, but nevertheless showed stability or even regression of the disease during a follow up of 4.6, 9.5 and 11.4 years respectively. None of the parameters was predictive of progression or regression of disease. In conclusion, GD in adults can, in some cases, regress spontaneously. No parameters for accurately predicting future disease course exist.

F-18 FDG PET/CT Findings in a Case of Gastric Relapse of Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia

An isolated extramedullary relapse of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) after autologous bone marrow transplantation is uncommon. We report the F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography-computed tomography (F-18 FDG PET/CT) findings in a 50-year-old man with a gastric relapse of AML. This patient had obtained complete remission (CR) of AML in the lumbar bone marrow by autologous bone marrow transplantation and induction chemoradiotherapy 6 years ago, and CR of the meduallary relapse in the bilateral femoral diaphyses by radiotherapy 2 years ago. Regardless of absence of clinical evidence indicative of relapses of AML, FDG PET/CT scan showed the FDG-avid protrusive mass with the maximum standardized uptake of 6.9 in the gastric fundus, which was histologically diagnosed as a relapse by endoscopic biopsy. After radiotherapy to the stomach, the second FDG PET/CT scan showed the disappearance of this FDG-avid gastric mass, and CR of this lesion was endoscopically confirmed. This case indicates that FDG PET/CT scan may be useful for noninvasively detecting a gastric relapse of AML and for monitoring treatment effect.

Safety of General Anesthesia for Lumbar Puncture and Bone Marrow Aspirate/Biopsy in Pediatric Oncology Patients

Painful short duration procedures such as bone marrow aspiration/biopsy and the lumbar puncture with or without intrathecal chemotherapy are frequently performed during the treatment of children with cancer. This study evaluated the frequency and severity of complications of bone marrow aspiration biopsy and lumbar puncture/intrathecal chemotherapy under general anesthesia. A prospective observational study was performed from November 2003 to August 2005. Patients with cancer younger than 21 years old, receiving treatment at the Pediatric Oncology Unity of Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, undergoing diagnostic and/or therapeutic short duration procedures carried out under general anesthesia in the outpatient surgery unit. One hundred and thirty-seven patients were submitted to 423 procedures under general anesthesia. There were 61% boys, mean age of 7.5 years (0.2 to 21) and ASA II 98%. Eighty seven percent of the procedures were carried out in patients with leukemia or lymphoma. The majority of the procedures had no adverse events during intraoperative and postoperative periods. No procedure had to be suspended after it had begun. One patient had lumbar pain after the procedure and was admitted to the ward with suspected subdural bleeding, but this was not confirmed. No patient needed cardiopulmonary reanimation or treatment in the intensive care unit. General anesthesia for short duration painful procedures in children undergoing treatment for malignancies is safe when carried out by trained professionals in outpatient clinical surgery unit.

29 Fast T2* Mapping of the Lumbar Bone Marrow as a Tool to Assess Bone Quality on a 1.5-T MRI Scanner

29 Fast T2* Mapping of the Lumbar Bone Marrow as a Tool to Assess Bone Quality on a 1.5-T MRI Scanner

Correlation of MRI-Based Bone Marrow Burden Score with Genotype and Spleen Status in Gaucher's Disease

The purpose of this study was to correlate skeletal pathologic findings quantified by MRI-based bone marrow burden score with genotype and spleen status and other clinical parameters, including liver size and duration of enzyme replacement therapy, in patients with Gaucher's disease. Two radiologists retrospectively reviewed MR images of 47 patients with Gaucher's disease and determined bone marrow burden scores by consensus on the basis of previously published criteria. The bone marrow burden scores were correlated with genotype, liver volume, spleen status, age, and cumulative duration of enzyme replacement therapy. Subjects with compound heterozygous N370S alleles had significantly higher overall, lumbar spinal, and femoral bone marrow burden scores than did N370S homozygotes. There was a significant positive correlation between an enlarged or surgically absent spleen and bone marrow burden score. There were no significant associations between bone marrow burden score and liver volume, age, cumulative duration of enzyme replacement therapy, or cumulative duration of untreated disease. Femoral and lumbar spinal bone marrow burden scores had a weak but significant positive correlation across all patients. Skeletal pathologic findings in Gaucher's disease encapsulated as bone marrow burden score correlate significantly with the number of copies of the N370S allele, which has an ameliorative effect on bone marrow disease. Splenectomy or splenomegaly is associated with greater risk of bone marrow disease. Femoral and lumbar spinal bone marrow burden scores, although only weakly correlated, independently illustrated both the protective role of the N370S allele and the unfavourable implication of splenectomy. This finding suggests that axial and appendicular bone marrow burdens are related but distinct and justifies multiple-compartment evaluation in Gaucher's disease.

Differences in perfusion parameters between upper and lower lumbar vertebral segments with dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE MRI)

To investigate the influence of age, sex and spinal level on perfusion parameters of normal lumbar bone marrow with dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE MRI). Sixty-seven subjects referred for evaluation of low back pain or sciatica underwent DCE MRI of the lumbar spine. After subtraction of dynamic images, a region of interest (ROI) was placed on each lumbar vertebral body of all subjects, and time intensity curves were generated. Consequently, perfusion parameters were calculated. Statistical analysis was performed to search for perfusion differences among lumbar vertebrae and in relation to age and sex. Upper (L1, L2) and lower (L3, L4, L5) vertebrae showed significant differences in perfusion parameters (p<0.05). Vertebrae of subjects younger than 50 years showed significantly higher perfusion compared to vertebrae of older ones (p<0.05). Vertebrae of females demonstrated significantly increased perfusion compared to those of males of corresponding age (p<0.05). All perfusion parameters, except for washout (WOUT), showed a mild linear correlation with age. Time to maximum slope (TMSP) and time to peak (TTPK) showed the same correlation with sex (0.22<r<0.32, p<0.05). Our results indicate increased perfusion of the upper compared to the lower lumbar spine, of younger compared to older subjects and of females compared to males.

Low frequency maintenance therapy with imiglucerase in adult type I Gaucher disease: a prospective randomized controlled trial

Gaucher disease type I can be successfully treated with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT). In order to reduce the burden of the intravenously administered enzyme, a low frequency of administration was prospectively studied in patients with stable and minor disease following ERT. Eleven patients were randomly assigned either to continue their original regimen of a dose of ERT once every week or fortnight (five patients) or to lower the frequency of administration to once every 4 weeks, at the same cumulative dose (six patients). The primary end-point was change in liver ratio (mL/kg body weight). Secondary end-points were spleen volume, hemoglobin level, platelet count, lumbar bone marrow fat content measured with quantitative chemical shift imaging (QCSI), white cell count, and plasma levels of ferritin, chitotriosidase, liver enzymes and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). There were no significant mean differences between the two treatment arms in liver ratio or any of the other end-points. However, there were two treatment failures in the low frequency of administration group. These patients showed progression of disease as evidenced by a reduction of QCSI in one patient and an increase in liver ratio as well as a slow decrease in QCSI in the other. Both patients already had relatively low baseline QCSI values. One patient switched back to the original regimen at 6 months because of subjective complaints. Low frequency ERT in adult Gaucher type I patients maintains stable disease in most, but not all patients with stable and minimal disease. Close monitoring of all disease parameters remains mandatory.

Lumbar Bone Marrow Microcirculation Measurements from Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Imaging Is a Predictor of Event-Free Survival in Progressive Multiple Myeloma

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) with high temporal resolution enables the detection of microcirculation variables amplitude A and exchange rate constant k(ep). In this study, the prognostic value of the DCE-MRI variables for overall survival and event-free survival in patients with progressive multiple myeloma was investigated. Between 1999 and 2001, 65 patients with progressive or relapse of multiple myeloma requiring therapy were investigated with DCE-MRI of the lumbar spine before start of therapy. The contrast uptake was quantified using a two-compartment model with the output variables amplitude A and exchange rate constant k(ep) reflecting bone marrow microcirculation. The estimated median follow-up was 56 months. Event-free survival and overall survival were investigated for DCE-MRI variables and for established prognosis variables (beta(2)-microglobulin, lactate dehydrogenase, albumin, and age). Using a multivariate Cox regression model, beta(2)-microglobulin and amplitude A of DCE-MRI were identified as statistically significant prognostic variable of event-free survival with Ps of 0.01 and 0.02, respectively. A statistical correlation of DCE-MRI variables with overall survival could not be found. The multivariate analysis of beta(2)-microglobulin, age, lactate dehydrogenase, and albumin revealed beta(2)-microglobulin as statistically significant prognostic factor for overall survival in this group of patients (P < 0.001). This analysis identifies contrast-enhanced DCE-MRI variable amplitude A reflecting increased bone marrow microcirculation and angiogenesis as a novel and possibly useful prognostic factor in patients with multiple myeloma. Prospective studies are currently done to further investigate this functional variable for prognosis and stratification of myeloma patients.

Attitudes of Children With Leukemia Toward Repeated Deep Sedations With Propofol

Procedural sedation is generally recommended for children requiring repeated painful diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. A child with leukemia undergoes an average of 20 procedures such as lumbar puncture and bone marrow aspiration through the course of illness. No data are currently available about the psychological impact of repeated sedations on children. The objective of this study was to evaluate the attitudes of patients with leukemia toward repeated deep sedations using propofol. A questionnaire addressing sedation-related distress was given to 30 children with leukemia. Procedure-related distress was evaluated using the Amended Observational Scale of Behavioural Distress. Another questionnaire concerning the same issues was given to an historical group of 39 children who had undergone painful procedures without sedation in previous years. Fear and distress were significantly reduced in the sedation group compared with the historical one. Fear of sedation was reported by 17% of children of this group. Distressed behavior was observed in 27%. In conclusion, sedation-related distress was observed in a subgroup of patients; in these cases, specific strategies could be considered to reduce sedation-related distress.

Painful procedures in children with cancer: Comparison of moderate sedation and general anesthesia for lumbar puncture and bone marrow aspiration

The study was conducted to compare moderate sedation (MS) with general anesthesia (GA) in the management of frequently performed lumbar puncture or bone marrow aspiration (BMA) during the treatment of childhood cancer. The MS (14 patients for 30 procedures) was managed by non-anesthesiologists (combined nitrous oxide-midazolam +/- non-pharmacological techniques). The GA was managed by anesthesiologists (17 patients for 30 procedures). A neutral observer recorded side effects, use of sedative antagonists, recovery time, oncologist's evaluation, procedure behaviors check list (PBCL); subjective perceptions during the procedure with a questionnaire administered to children (>6 years) and their parents; drugs costs and professional resources. P-values <0.05 were considered significant. We had two inadequate sedations in MS (6.6%) versus 0 in GA. We had no significant differences in side effects (7.10% MS vs. 8.6% in GA), use of antagonists (2.90% GA vs. 0 MS), PBCL, oncologist evaluation and questionnaire data or drugs costs. We observed significant differences in recovery times (MS, mean 43 +/- SD min vs. GA, mean 117 +/- SD min) and professional resources costs. The effects of non-pharmacological techniques on anxiety were perceived very positively by both children and parents (on 0-4 scale, mean scores 3.57 for the children; 3.53 for the parents). Our study suggests that MS compared favorably to GA with respect to both safety and efficacy. When performed by non-anesthesiologists, MS may be associated with better compliance and cost-effectiveness as it relies on the contribution of non-pharmacological techniques.

The diagnostic problems in magnetic resonance tomography of the bone marrow in patients with malignomas under G-CSF therapy

To study the effect of G-CSF therapy directly by MRI and 1H MRS in the lumbar and femoral bone marrow and differentiate between malignant bone marrow infiltration (MBMI) and reconversion of red marrow. Thirteen patients could be examined twice, before and during G-CSF medication and another six only during treatment. T1 weighted spin-echo and opposed-phase gradient-echo images as well as the spectroscopic data (T2 values, water content) were analysed. After G-CSF a pathologic bone marrow signal intensity was seen in 8/13 (lumbar) and 11/13 (femoral) patients respectively. The majority of the signal alterations were diffuse (6 and 8), the minority focal (2 and 3). If a patient was successfully stimulated, a significant increase in water content occurred (21% lumbar, 34% femoral). T2 values did not change significantly, nor did they correlate with the stimulation success. MR tomography and -spectroscopy are suitable to detect lumbar and femoral bone marrow stimulation by G-CSF quantitatively and qualitatively. The changes may simulate MBMI. The adequate judgement of G-CSF treated bone marrow without pretherapeutic images is not possible.

Prospective evaluation of bone marrow signal changes on magnetic resonance tomography during high-dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation in patients with breast cancer.

The authors evaluate bone marrow signal changes on magnetic resonance (MR) imaging during high-dose chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). Fourteen patients with breast cancer without bone metastases underwent four sagittal MR imaging studies with T1-weighted, T2-weighted turbo spin-echo and inversion recovery sequences with short inversion time (STIR) of the lumbar spine: (1) during initial staging, (2) prior to high-dose chemotherapy after two cycles of induction chemotherapy, (3) early after PBSCT with a leukocyte exceeding 2000/microL, and (4) 6 to 8 weeks after PBSCT. Signal intensity ratios of averaged lumbar bone marrow to nucleus pulposus were measured and homogeneity was evaluated visually using a semiquantitative score. Compared with the initial finding (1): Signal intensity ratios were altered significantly at (2): T1-weighted: -22% +/- 14, P < 0.001; T2-weighted: -11% +/- 11, P < 0.01; STIR: +33% +/- 31, P < 0.01; Signal intensity ratios were altered significantly at (3): T2-weighted: -23% +/- 12, P < 0.001, STIR: -22% +/- 23, P < 0.01; and Signal intensity ratios were altered significantly at (4): only STIR: -16% +/- 19, P < 0.01. Homogeneity scores decreased at (3) for T1-weighted and STIR sequences (-1.6 +/- 0.5 to -2.0 +/- 0.7, P < 0.01 and -1.0 +/- 0.5 to -1.4 +/- 0.5, P < 0.01, respectively) and at (4) for the latter sequence (-1.0 +/- 0.5 versus -1.4 +/- 0.5, P < 0.01). At (4), T1-weighted images were less homogenous than initially in 3 of 14 (21%) patients. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrates significant alterations of bone marrow composition during PBSCT but allows differentiation of benign therapy-related changes from those known in metastatic disease after completion of PBSCT.