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FIG 2. A, T1-weighted SE image (450/12) in an 84-year-old man with a compression fracture of the seventh thoracic vertebral body. The fracture occurred in the absence of trauma.
B, Complete replacement of the bone marrow space. STIR image (3600/60, TI = 150) shows hyperintensity in the fractured vertebral body. Note also the focal hyperintensities in the sixth thoracic vertebra (top arrow) anteriorly and in the 11th thoracic vertebra posteriorly and adjacent to the endplate (bottom arrow).
C, SSFP sequence with very low diffusion weighting (
= 0.6 ms) shows hyperintense signal in the fractured vertebral body.
D–F, Increased diffusion weighting with the SSFP sequence (D = 3 ms, E = 6.0 ms, F = 9.0 ms) shows substantial signal loss in the fractured vertebral body. The fractured vertebral body is isointense at = 3 ms and markedly hypointense at = 6.0 and 9.0 ms. The diagnostic value of increased diffusion weighting is the signal loss in benign bone marrow edema. Note that the focal areas of hyperintensity on the STIR images are also hypointense on the SSFP sequence, indicating benign edema.
G, Follow-up MR study 8 months later shows healing of the fracture with restitution of fat cells.
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