Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Bone Marrow: Effect of Osteoporosis and Age on Signal Intensity

Abstract

The skeletal applications of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) have been directed successfully toward the detection of osseus lesions like primary or secondary bone tumors (Reiser et al. 1985), osteonecrosis (Rupp et al. 1985), osteomyelitis (Fletcher et al. 1984) and myeloproliferative diseases (Moore et al. 1986). Also, the potential of MRI in the bone marrow anatomy and physiologic development was easily recognized (Dooms et al. 1985). For example, in infancy and early childhood a striking difference exists in T₁-weighted signal intensity of epiphyses and apophyses in relation to the brightness of diaphyseal bone regions (fig. 1). Further, conversions from red to yellow marrow is clearly demonstrated by MRI in skeletal regions exposed to ionizing radiation previously (not shown).