Diffusion-weighted MR imaging of bone marrow: differentiation of benign versus pathologic compression fractures.

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Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the usefulness of diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of bone marrow for differentiating between benign and pathologic vertebral compression fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with 39 vertebral compression fractures were examined with MR imaging. Diffusion-weighted MR imaging was performed with a steady-state free precession sequence in 22 acute benign osteoporotic and/or traumatic fractures and 17 pathologic compression fractures. Biplanar radiographs, T1-weighted spin-echo (SE) MR images, and short inversion time inversion-recovery (STIR) MR images were available for all patients. The signal intensity characteristics were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively (bone marrow contrast ratios and signal-to-noise ratios) for all sequences. RESULTS: At diffusion-weighted MR imaging, all benign vertebral compression fractures were hypo- to isointense to adjacent normal vertebral bodies. Pathologic compression fractures were hyperintense to normal vertebral ...

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