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Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging: a useful additional sequence in paediatric imaging
Eoghan E Laffan1, Rachael O'Connor, Stephanie P Ryan
1Department of Radiology, Children's University Hospital, Temple Street, Dublin, 1, Ireland.
Background:
Whole-body MR (WBMR) imaging allows the acquisition of images of the entire body in a matter of minutes. Its use has primarily been in the evaluation of possible metastases in the setting of a known primary tumour.
Objective:
To document the value of WBMR imaging in ten children in whom this was added as an additional sequence when the primary diagnosis had not yet been made.
Materials And Methods:
Ten children, age range 4 months-15 years (mean 7 years 4 months) had WBMR imaging after initial MR showed an abnormality that raised the possibility of systemic disease. Initial scanning was of the brain (n=1), spine (n=2), retroperitoneum (n=4), hips (n=1), femur (n=1) and wrist (n=1).
Results:
Abnormalities were detected in eight patients. Two patients had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, and another had an anaplastic lymphoma, unsuspected prior to the WBMR. Two patients had a previously undiagnosed neuroblastoma with bone marrow metastases. Two patients had Langerhans' cell histiocytosis. Another had multiple bone lesions due to cystic angiomatosis.
Conclusions:
WBMR imaging may be a useful additional sequence in children in whom a systemic and especially a bone marrow abnormality is suspected.