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Normal spinal bone marrow in adults: dynamic gadolinium-enhanced MR imaging
Jean-Luc Montazel1, Marine Divine, Eric Lepage
1Department of Radiology, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Henri Mondor, 51 avenue du Maréchal de Lattre de Tassigny, 94010 Créteil, France.
Radiology
|November 1, 2003
Summary
Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI reveals spinal bone marrow enhancement patterns change with age. Younger adults show higher enhancement, which decreases logarithmically with age and increases with fat content.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Medical Imaging
- Spinal Imaging
Background:
- Normal spinal bone marrow enhancement patterns are crucial for accurate interpretation of contrast-enhanced MRI.
- Aging significantly impacts tissue composition and physiological processes, potentially affecting MRI signal characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize dynamic enhancement patterns of normal spinal bone marrow in adults using gadolinium-enhanced MRI.
- To investigate the influence of aging on these dynamic enhancement patterns.
Main Methods:
- Dynamic contrast material-enhanced MRI of the thoracolumbar spine was performed in 71 adult patients.
- Bone marrow enhancement time curves (ETCs) were analyzed to determine maximum enhancement (Emax), slope, and washout.
- Quantitative ETC values were correlated with patient age and bone marrow fat content grade.
Main Results:
- Emax, slope, and washout varied significantly among individuals.
- Emax values were significantly higher in patients younger than 40 years compared to those 40 years or older (P <.001).
- Emax demonstrated a logarithmic decrease with increasing age (r = 0.71) and decreased with higher fat content.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI patterns of normal spinal bone marrow are primarily influenced by patient age and fat content.
- These findings provide valuable reference data for interpreting spinal bone marrow MRI in adults across different age groups and fat compositions.