Marrow Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Articles

Soft-tissue sarcomas: MR imaging findings after treatment in three pediatric patients.

To characterize the skeletal and bone marrow magnetic resonance (MR) imaging changes during and after treatment of childhood soft-tissue tumors. Three boys with soft-tissue sarcomas of the popliteal fossa underwent surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Plain radiographic and MR imaging findings were correlated with the effect of treatment. After radiation therapy, MR images revealed findings that resembled those of rickets at sites of irradiation in the three patients. These findings included metaphyseal sclerosis, metaphyseal fraying, and epiphyseal plate widening. Bone marrow imaging changes were temporally related to therapy. During chemotherapy, reconversion to hematopoietic marrow was noted in nonirradiated areas in two patients, but after cessation of all treatment, these areas converted back to fatty marrow. Irradiated areas of bone marrow remained fatty throughout therapy in the three patients. Awareness of the MR imaging findings related to antineoplastic treatment of soft-tissue tumors is important to distinguish these changes from progression of primary disease.

Detection of bone marrow involvement in breast cancer with magnetic resonance imaging.

To evaluate the value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in detecting bone marrow metastases in patients with breast cancer. Twenty-three patients with breast cancer in various stages (stage IV, 11; stage III, five; stage II, seven) were evaluated for bone marrow involvement. MRIs of marrow from lumbar spine, pelvis, and proximal femora were obtained with a 1.5-Tesla unit. All patients underwent bilateral bone marrow aspirations and biopsies for histologic evaluation and immunostaining with monoclonal antibody (MoAB) against low-molecular weight cytokeratin (CAM 5.2). Marrow MRI findings were compared with technetium 99m bone scans. Patients with stage II or III disease were monitored for clinical outcome. Possible correlation of MRI findings with serum alkaline phosphatase level was explored. Fourteen of 23 patients showed MRI abnormalities suggestive of metastatic marrow disease (stage IV, nine; stage III, two; stage II, three). In six patients with abnormal MRIs, histology and MoAB immunostaining confirmed marrow involvement (stage IV, five; stage III, zero; stage II, one). In the other eight patients with MRI abnormalities, neither of these methods confirmed the presence of marrow metastasis. Four of five operable breast cancer (stage II-III) patients with an abnormal initial MRI showed additional abnormalities on follow-up examination and developed metastatic disease within 5 to 18 months demonstrable by conventional clinical methods. Conversely, none of the operable patients with negative MRIs developed recurrent disease at 3 to 16 months (Student's t test, P = .01). Nine patients with a normal MRI had no evidence of marrow involvement with histologic or MoAB immunostaining (stage IV, two; stage III, two; stage II, five). Of 14 patients with abnormal MRIs, bone scans were normal in seven and failed to show corresponding abnormalities in six. Elevated serum alkaline phosphatase levels showed a direct relationship with abnormal bone scans indicating extensive bony involvement, but failed to correlate with positive marrow MRIs. MRI is a promising new technique to detect occult marrow involvement in breast cancer patients. There is a good correlation between abnormal marrow MRI and early development of clinical metastatic disease in patients with stage II to III disease.

Meta-iodobenzylguanidine in children

Meta-iodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) is an effective imaging agent for neuroblastoma and pheochromocytoma in children, MIBG is concentrated by the neurosecretory granules of normal and neoplastic tissues of neural crest origin. The typical normal scintigraphic uptake pattern of MIBG includes the salivary glands, lung, myocardium, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and contents of the urinary bladder. When MIBG is labeled with iodine-123 (123I), the adrenal glands often are seen. The sensitivity and specificity of MIBG imaging is extremely high in both neuroblastoma and pheochromocytoma. MIBG may detect extensive bone and bone marrow involvement in neuroblastoma, in the absence of findings on bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, plain radiographs, and bone scintigraphy. MIBG labeled with 131I has been used with moderate success in the palliation of advanced neuroblastoma and pheochromocytoma. Early therapeutic intervention in advanced neuroblastoma is promising. Current controversies in the application of MIBG include (1)131I versus 123I as a label for imaging studies: Although improved image quality and reduced absorbed radiation dose are achieved with [123I]MIBG imaging, is it actually more efficacious in the detection of neuroblastoma? (2) Use of bone scintigraphy in neuroblastoma: Given the small number of false-negative MIBG scans for bone involvement, can the bone scan be dropped as a routine study in the follow-up of neuroblastoma? (3) Other new imaging agents: Is there a role for labeled monoclonal antibodies, somatostatin analogs, and magnetic resonance imaging of marrow in the routine follow-up of neuroblastoma? (4) Iodine-125 MIBG therapy in neuroblastoma: Is the improved energy deposition of 125I at extremely short range useful in the ablation of micrometastases? (5) Early therapy with MIBG in neuroblastoma: Is there a role for MIBG therapy in the initial therapeutic regimens of children with advanced neuroblastoma? Twelve years after the initial report of its use in humans, MIBG has become an important imaging agent in pediatric neural tumors, one that is used routinely and efficaciously in many centers. In the next few years we will continue to learn more about its use, particularly in the therapy of advanced neural crest tumors.

Hematopoietic bone marrow recovery after radiation therapy: MRI evaluation

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is able to detect the increase of adipocytes in the hematopoietic bone marrow that occurs as a consequence of radiotherapy and is indicative of the loss of myeloid tissue. By monitoring this process, it is also possible to determine the recovery of the bone marrow. The amount of viable hematopoietic tissue plays a fundamental role in determining whether the patient is able to undergo further antineoplastic therapy, particularly chemotherapy. We examined 35 patients who had been treated with radiotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma (12), uterine cervix carcinoma (nine), ovarian dysgerminoma (six), testicular seminoma (four), and non- Hodgkin's lymphoma (four). We observed that radiation-induced modifications of the MRI pattern in the bone marrow are tightly linked to two parameters; the administered radiation dose and the length of time passed after the treatment. Bone marrow recovery was observed only when patients were treated with doses lower than 50 Gy. The earlier radiation-induced modifications of the bone marrow MRI pattern occurred 6 to 12 months after irradiation, and they were most evident 5 to 6 years after the treatment. From 2 to 9 years after radiotherapy, we observed partial recovery. Complete recovery, when it occurred, was observed only 10 to 23 years after the treatment. Our results indicate that MRI studies are likely to be useful in the assessment of radiation- induced injuries.

Hematopoietic Bone Marrow Recovery After Radiation Therapy: MRI Evaluation

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is able to detect the increase of adipocytes in the hematopoietic bone marrow that occurs as a consequence of radiotherapy and is indicative of the loss of myeloid tissue. By monitoring this process, it is also possible to determine the recovery of the bone marrow. The amount of viable hematopoietic tissue plays a fundamental role in determining whether the patient is able to undergo further antineoplastic therapy, particularly chemotherapy. We examined 35 patients who had been treated with radiotherapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma (12), uterine cervix carcinoma (nine), ovarian dysgerminoma (six), testicular seminoma (four), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (four). We observed that radiation-induced modifications of the MRI pattern in the bone marrow are tightly linked to two parameters; the administered radiation dose and the length of time passed after the treatment. Bone marrow recovery was observed only when patients were treated with doses lower than 50 Gy. The earlier radiation-induced modifications of the bone marrow MRI pattern occurred 6 to 12 months after irradiation, and they were most evident 5 to 6 years after the treatment. From 2 to 9 years after radiotherapy, we observed partial recovery. Complete recovery, when it occurred, was observed only 10 to 23 years after the treatment. Our results indicate that MRI studies are likely to be useful in the assessment of radiation-induced injuries.

Diagnostic strategies and staging procedures for Hodgkin's lymphoma: bone marrow scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging.

In Hodgkin's lymphoma the bone marrow is infrequently involved. Clinical diagnosis is usually made by bone marrow biopsy. Because biopsy is blind, false-negative results often occur. For imaging of the bone marrow, two methods are available: scintigraphy and magnetic resonance imaging.KeywordsBone MarrowMagnetic Resonance Imaging FindingBone Marrow BiopsyDiagnostic StrategyPosterior Iliac CrestThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.