DYNAMIC COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY OF THE BONE-MARROW IN NORMAL AND PATHOLOGICAL VERTEBRAE

Purpose: The contrast medium dynamics of normal and abnormal bone marr ow was examined by CT. Material and method: Standardised sections of l umbar vertebrae were obtained after intravenous injection of 80 ml Ult ravist 370 and time-density curves of the marrow spaces were calculate d in 38 patients. Results: Time-density curves of patients with normal bone marrow differed significantly from those with proliferative bone marrow diseases in respect of maximal density and uptake at 120 and 2 40 seconds. Patients treated by radiation showed reduced uptake. Concl usion: Variations in the time-density curves between normal and abnorm al bone marrow provided evidence of different perfusion and uptake of the contrast medium in the extracellular space of the bone marrow. Fur ther investigation will be necessary to determine whether dynamic CT i s able to document the effect of radiotherapy or chemotherapy on malig nant bone marrow infiltration.