MRI evaluation of bone marrow of normal lumbar vertebra in the Chinese: normal patterns and preliminary quantitative study.

OBJECTIVES: To establish the normal patterns of lumbar vertebral marrow in normal Chinese, to determine its normal value of relaxation times (T1 and T2), and to investigate the relationship between relaxation time and age or sex. METHODS: 320 of 1000 cases (sampled randomly) received MR imaging. According to the MRI findings of sagittal T1WI, marrow patterns were established. 268 cases were studied quantitatively (T1 and T2 measurements). RESULTS: The normal bone marrow patterns of lumbar vertebra were divided into four main patterns (six subgroups). The normal values of relaxation times (T1 and T2) were measured. T1 or T2 value decreased with aging. No significant difference in T1 value between two sexes (< 40 years old: u = 0.4307, P > 0.50; > or = 40 years old: u = 0.554, P > 0.05). No significant difference was seen in T2 value between two sexes before 40 years old (u = 1.3628, P > 0.10), but significant difference after 40 years old (u = 2.1498, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: To establish the normal patterns of lumbar vertebral marrow and determine its normal values of relaxation times have important clinical value in the diagnosis of bone marrow diseases.