BONE-MARROW INVOLVEMENT IN LYMPHOMA - THE IMPORTANCE OF MARROW MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING

Detection of bone marrow involvement is important for staging and trea tment decisions in patients with lymphoma. Although routine bone marro w evaluation is based on aspirates and bone marrow biopsies, new diagn ostic tools are required to improve diagnostic accuracy. Visual and qu antitative assessment of the bone marrow by magnetic resonance (MR) im aging is useful for the detection of occult lymphomatous marrow involv ement. MRT is also suitable for the evaluation of disease extent in th e bone marrow. Furthermore, abnormal images on marrow MRI may be assoc iated with a significantly poorer survival in patients with lymphoma, regardless of histologic findings in the marrow. Evaluation of the bon e marrow by MRI is essential to assess disease status in patients with lymphoma.