EFFECT OF OVARIECTOMY ON MAGNETIC-RESONANCE T-2-ASTERISK IN RAT FEMUR

Measurements have been made in the rat femur in vivo acid ex vivo by u sing an asymmetric spin echo technique of T-2', the susceptibility con tribution to T-2. The trabecular spacing in this study in rat bone is considerably less than in previous studies in the human. A significan t increase in T-2' was seen in vivo 3 mm proximal to the growth plate with ovariectomy (a model of osteopenia), from 8.1 +/- 0.7 to 10.0 +/- 0.6 ms. Parallel changes in trabecular bone mineral density measured by quantitative computed tomography were found. 7(2)' was higher in li ving bones than in the same bones measured post mortem.