LIPID SELECTIVE MR-IMAGING AND LOCALIZED H-1 SPECTROSCOPY OF BONE-MARROW DURING THERAPY OF LEUKEMIA

In most patients with acute leukemia very low or absent lipid signals from central red bone marrow are detected using magnetic resonance (MR ) techniques, in contrast to healthy persons with considerable signals from both, water and lipid protons. The proliferation of the malignan t leukemic cells causes the displacement of fat cells in the marrow. T his disorder is reversible during successful cytotoxic chemotherapy of acute leukemia: Lipid signals from vertebral bodies arise again due t o the replacement of hypercellular leukemic marrow by fat. Different a pproaches for lipid selective MR imaging and spectroscopy and reported and results from typical examples are demonstrated and discussed. The report is based on examinations of 12 patients with leukemia in follo w-up studies, 11 patients with other disorders of bone marrow, and 26 healthy volunteers.