Early MR changes in vertebral bone marrow for patients following radiotherapy

Our study aimed to evaluate the vertebral marrow changes in patients following radiotherapy (RT) by measuring the T2 relaxation times before and during RT. We were mostly interested in evaluating early MR marrow changes during RT. Fifteen patients treated by RT for cervical cancer were submitted to MR examination before and during RT (5-23 days of RT). T2 values were calculated for irradiated and non-irradiated tissues (lumbar and sacral vertebral bone marrow, symphysis pubis marrow, and regional muscle). Fourteen patients presented increased T2 values for irradiated vertebral bone marrow (VBM), and 3 patients showed increased T2 values even for non-irradiated VBM. We found T2 variations for VBM as early as in the fifth day of RT for an absorbed dose as small as 9 Gy. Calculated T2 values in irradiated and also in non-irradiated tissues prove very early tissue alterations.