Spectroscopic imaging of bone marrow composition in vertebral bodies

The proton spectroscopic imaging technique that uses read gradient during acquisition was used for the measurement of the proton spectra in the lumbar and thoracic part of the spine of a patient with breast cancer without known skeletal metastases. The bone marrow fat/water ratios were evaluated in the same location before and after chemotherapy treatment. The results were corrected for relaxation effects. The fat/water ratios showed a significant increase as a consequence of the bone marrow degradation process due to chemotherapy. The proposed spectroscopic imaging technique offers rapid acquisition of proton spectra from large volumes of the vertebral bodies.