Magnetic susceptibility effects of trabecular bone on magnetic resonance imaging of bone marrow

High-field spectroscopic studies at 5.88 tesla (T) indicate significant T2* shortening of water in suspensions of powdered bone, interpreted to be a result of magnetic susceptibility differences between bone particles and water. The authors investigated the effects of magnetic susceptibility differences between trabecular bone and water on magnetic resonance (MR) images at 0.6 T. The phantom was constructed of macerated intact trabecular human bone immersed in water. Although susceptibility-induced magnetic field inhomogeneities were detected by spectral line broadening by using an asymmetric spin-echo technique, the results show only a modest T2* shortening at this field strength. As expected, no T1 effect of trabecular bone was observed. Although susceptibility effects of trabecular bone may have a small impact on the signal intensity of MR images of bone marrow at midfield strength, the observed field strength dependence of these effects would predict significant susceptibility effects on clinical images at higher field strength.