Bone marrow necrosis in lymphoma studied by magnetic resonance imaging

We used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to examine the extent of necrosis in the marrow space in three patients with lymphoma who had necrosis in bone marrow biopsies taken from the posterior iliac crest. Two of the patients had multiple focal lesions observed in the spine, pelvis, and femurs. These lesions had MRI characteristics of fluid-filled necrosis within marrow or lymphoma. The third patient exhibited a unique pattern of anatomically extensive marginated lesions otherwise typical of avascular necrosis of bone. These cases provide evidence that MRI can document the extent of necrosis within the marrow space and can differentiate two distinct patterns of necrosis.