MRI for Detecting Bone Marrow Infiltration in Lymphoma
Author Information
Author(s): M.A. Richards, J.A.W. Webb, S.E. Jewell, J.A.L. Amess, P.F.M. Wrigley, T.A. Lister
Primary Institution: St Bartholomew's Hospital
Hypothesis
Can low field strength magnetic resonance imaging accurately detect bone marrow infiltration in patients with lymphoma?
Conclusion
Low field strength MRI is highly sensitive for detecting diffuse bone marrow infiltration by lymphoma but less effective for focal infiltration.
Supporting Evidence
- 11 out of 15 patients with histological evidence of bone marrow infiltration had abnormal MRI results.
- The sensitivity of MRI was excellent for diffuse infiltration but poor for focal infiltration.
- Two patients with Hodgkin's disease had abnormal MRI scans despite normal bone marrow biopsies.
Takeaway
Doctors used a special type of MRI to see if lymphoma was affecting the bone marrow, and it worked well for some patients but not for others.
Methodology
The study involved measuring spin lattice relaxation time (T1) in 31 lymphoma patients and comparing results with bone marrow biopsies and 90 healthy volunteers.
Limitations
The sensitivity of MRI was poor for focal infiltration, and the study relied on a single biopsy which may lead to false negatives.
Participant Demographics
31 previously untreated patients with lymphoma, including 13 with Hodgkin's disease and 18 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; 25 males and 6 females, age range 19-69.
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