Low field strength magnetic resonance imaging of bone marrow in patients with malignant lymphoma.

Detection of bone marrow infiltration by lymphoma with low field strength magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been assessed. Measurements of spin lattice relaxation time (T1) were made in 31 patients with lymphoma and compared with the results of bone marrow biopsy and with T1 measurements made on 90 healthy volunteers. The sensitivity of MRI was excellent in patients for whom the microscopic pattern of marrow infiltration was diffuse, but poor in those with microscopically focal infiltration.