Magnetic resonance imaging of bone marrow in oncology, Part 1

Magnetic resonance imaging plays an integral role in the detection and characterization of marrow lesions, planning for biopsy or surgery, and post-treatment follow-up. To evaluate findings in bone marrow on MR imaging, it is essential to understand the normal composition and distribution of bone marrow and the changes in marrow that occur with age, as well as the basis for the MR signals from marrow and the factors that affect those signals. The normal distribution of red and yellow marrow in the skeleton changes with age in a predictable sequence. Important factors that affect MR signals and allow detection of marrow lesions include alterations in fat-water distribution, destruction of bony trabeculae, and contrast enhancement. This two-part article reviews and illustrates these issues, with an emphasis on the practical application of MR imaging to facilitate differentiation of normal marrow, tumor, and treatment-related marrow changes in oncology patients.