Early chronic lymphocytic leukemia: prognostic value of quantitative bone marrow MR imaging findings and correlation with hematologic variables.

PURPOSE

To determine the frequency of abnormal findings from quantitative bone marrow magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in patients with early-stage chronic lymphocytic leukemia, to correlate these findings with clinical parameters, and to compare spontaneous outcome in patients with normal or abnormal MR imaging findings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In 21 patients with Binet stage A (Rai stage 0-I) disease, bulk T1 values of the vertebral bone marrow were determined and correlated with initial clinical, laboratory, histopathologic, and cytogenetic findings and with treatment-free survival.

RESULTS

Bulk T1 values were normal (< 600 msec) in 14 patients and prolonged in seven. Patients with increased T1 had significantly higher blood (P = .017) and bone marrow (P = .015) lymphocytosis. None of the 14 patients with normal T1 values required specific therapy after a median follow-up of 13 months. Of the seven patients with abnormal T1 values, five required treatment after progression to Binet stage B or C disease at a median of 10 months.

CONCLUSION

In patients with abnormal quantitative MR imaging findings, treatment-free survival appears to be significantly shorter (P < .001) than in patients with normal MR imaging findings.