Verification of extensive bone marrow hyperplasia using magnetic resonance imaging

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
• Pathology

Background:

• Bone marrow hyperplasia is commonly observed in various skeletal sites during MRI examinations.
• Extensive hyperplasia in the ascending mandibular ramus is less common but presents diagnostic challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate extensive bone marrow hyperplasia in the ascending mandibular ramus.
• To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of T1-weighted MRI with fat signal suppression for these lesions.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 15,412 patients undergoing orthopantomography (OPT).
• Seven patients with hyperplasia in the ascending mandibular ramus were identified and further evaluated with MRI.
• Diagnosis was confirmed through histological analysis of bone biopsy samples.

Main Results:

• T1-weighted MRI with fat signal suppression revealed a characteristic heterogeneous signal intensity pattern.
• This unique MRI pattern aided in differentiating hyperplasia from other mandibular lesions.
• MRI-based diagnoses consistently correlated with histological findings.

Conclusions:

• Selected MRI studies are sufficient for diagnosing bone marrow hyperplasia in the ascending mandibular ramus.
• Advanced MRI techniques can obviate the need for bone biopsies in these cases.