- Distinguishing Imaging Features between Spinal Hyperplastic Hematopoietic Bone Marrow and Bone Metastasis
MR, FDG-PET, and CT images from 8 patients with proven spinal findings of hyperplastic hematopoietic bone marrow were compared with those of 24 patients with spinal metastases. If a lesion was isointense to hyperintense to normal-appearing marrow on MR imaging or had a maximum standard uptake value of >3.6, the lesion was metastatic. A normal appearance on CT or bone scintigraphy excluded metastasis.
- Reliability of the STIR Sequence for Acute Type II Odontoid Fractures
Because STIR images are routinely used for evaluation of the posttraumatic cervical spine, these authors specifically looked at the ability of this sequence to differentiate acute vs. chronic odontoid type II fractures in 75 patients and compared the imaging findings with an equal number of age-matched controls. STIR fared poorly in the detection of fractures in individuals over 57 years of age. Therefore, older patients, particularly those with osteopenia, may have acute odontoid injuries without corresponding STIR hyperintensity.
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