Ks. Caldemeyer et al., HEMATOPOIETIC BONE-MARROW HYPERPLASIA - CORRELATION OF SPINAL MR FINDINGS, HEMATOLOGIC PARAMETERS, AND BONE-MINERAL DENSITY IN ENDURANCE ATHLETES, Radiology, 198(2), 1996, pp. 503-508
PURPOSE: To determine the frequency of hematopoietic hyperplasia on sp
inal magnetic resonance (MR) images in endurance athletes and to corre
late MR alterations with clinical parameters. MATERIALS AND METHODS: I
n 15 endurance athletes, MR images of the lumbar spine were analyzed f
or hematopoietic hyperplasia; vertebral T1 and T2 were determined. Bon
e mineral density (BMD) was determined, blood tests were performed, an
d maximum oxygen consumption (Vo(2)max) was measured. RESULTS: Nine su
bjects showed evidence of hematopoietic hyperplasia: Eight showed T1 p
rolongation, and six had patchy or diffuse T1 hypointensity. No defini
te correlation existed between hematopoietic hyperplasia and duration
of training, hematologic results, or Vo(2)max levels. Borderline signi
ficance existed between hematopoietic hyperplasia and anemia (P = .103
) and intensity of training (P = .09). BMD had no statistically signif
icant effect on T1. CONCLUSION: Changes in BMD do not appear to contri
bute to MR marrow changes that are consistent with hematopoietic hyper
plasia. Depleted iron reserves or increased hematopoiesis probably con
tribute to hematopoietic hyperplasia in endurance athletes.