MR imaging studies of skeletal metastatic problems

The high signal intensity of yellow marrow in T1-weighted images provides excellent contrast to infiltrative tumor, permitting evaluation of unresolved bone complaints. The authors examined 18 patients with known primary tumors (lung, breast, and prostate) and one patient with an unsuspected colon primary using a General Electric 1.5-T Signa system. Compared with other modalities, MR imaging detected more and smaller metastatic sites as well as recurrences in previously irradiated bone, osteoporotic bone, and areas previously operated on. MR imaging is the procedure of choice for imaging bone marrow and should be employed when the radionuclide scan fails to demonstrate a source of bone pain