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Updated: Jul 3, 2026
Induction of Graft-versus-host Disease and In Vivo T Cell Monitoring Using an MHC-matched Murine Model
Published on: August 29, 2012
MR findings in patients with disabling musculocutaneous chronic graft-versus-host disease
1Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Eberhard-Karls-University, Hoppe-Seyler-Str.3, 72076, Tübingen, Germany. mshorger@med.uni-tuebingen.de
Objective:
To describe musculocutaneous MR-findings responsible for disability in chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT).
Material And Methods:
Between June 2005 and February 2008, we performed whole-body musculoskeletal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI; n = 12) or regional MRI (n = 4) in 16 consecutive patients presenting with disabling sclerodermatous cGVHD (e.g., skin edema, fixed deep dermal sclerosis, joint contractures, painful muscular contractures, or myalgia).
Results:
In all patients, MRI showed musculocutaneous abnormalities reflecting different degrees of inflammation and collagen tissue involvement of the skin (n = 10), subcutaneous fat tissue (n = 13), muscle fasciae (n = 16), subfascial muscular septae (n = 6), or findings compatible with myositis (n = 3). The most frequently involved muscle fasciae comprised those of the vastus lateralis muscle (n = 12), biceps femoris muscle (n = 11), gastrocnemius medialis muscle (n = 8), serratus anterior muscle, and latissimus dorsi muscle (each, n = 5). Increased signal of involved tissues on STIR-images and fat-saturated postgadolinium T1-weighted images represented the most frequent MR-signal abnormalities.
Conclusion:
MR imaging of musculocutaneous cGVHD allows accurate evaluation including assessment of deep tissue infiltration and assists in the differential diagnosis.
