ANOREXIA-NERVOSA - CORRELATION BETWEEN MR APPEARANCE OF BONE-MARROW AND SEVERITY OF DISEASE

PURPOSE: To identify bone marrow abnormalities on magnetic resonance ( MR) images of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and to correlate the findings with body mass index (BMI) and blood cell count. MATERIALS A ND METHODS: The signal intensity patterns in the lumbar, pelvic, and f emoral marrow spaces were evaluated on MR images obtained in 14 patien ts with AN and 14 control subjects. RESULTS: Six patients with AN had a waterlike signal intensity pattern either throughout the three marro w spaces (five patients) or only in the marrow cavity of the proximal femur (one patient). Results of biopsy performed in one of the six pat ients showed that the marrow had findings typical of serous atrophy. T he BMI values and blood cell counts in the six patients were lower tha n those of the eight other patients with AN and the 14 control subject s. CONCLUSION: Bone marrow has an unusual signal intensity and distrib ution at MR imaging in patients with AN who have a low BMI value and b iologic signs of bone marrow dysfunction.