MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING PATTERNS IN PATIENTS WITH MULTIPLE-MYELOMA

Sixty-one consecutive patients with multiple myeloma were studied with magnetic resonance (MR) imaging of the spine. Sagittal T1-weighted an d short inversion time (TI) inversion recovery (STIR) images were obta ined. The MR patterns of the bone marrow were classified as diffuse (D ) (n=26), nodular (N) (n=11), D + N (n = 13) or normal in) (n = 11), A bnormal patterns were seen in 50 (82%) of the 61 patients. Correlation s were found between the MR imaging patterns and some laboratory findi ngs (WBC, haematocrit, platelet count, serum albumin, and percentage o f marrow plasmacytosis). The survival of the patients with abnormal MR I patterns was significantly poorer than that of the patients with nor mal patterns. However, the survival of patients with a nodular pattern did not differ from those with a normal pattern. The MR imaging patte rn of the bone marrow in patients with multiple myeloma is a useful fa ctor in the assessment of prognosis.