Nuclear magnetic resonance studies on human bone and soft tissue tumors.

The relaxation times of water protons of 71 normal, benign and malignant specimens of human bone and soft tissue were studied by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) method. By combining T1 and T2 into a malignancy index, it was possible to discriminate malignant and nonmalignant (normal and benign) tissue in 41 out of 44 bone tissue specimens and all 27 soft tissue specimens. In chondrosarcoma, there appeared to be a correlation of the malignancy index with the degree of tissue differentiation. Furthermore, the relaxation times might have been influenced by chemotherapy before operation was carried out.