New bone formation (causing spinal fusion) and bone loss are both key features of spondyloarthritis, and contribute to significant morbidity and disability. However, these processes are difficult to monitor using conventional MRI, which provides minimal information about bone mineral density (BMD). Here, we show that bone marrow susceptibility can be used as a marker of BMD, using data from a fat-water-bone phantom and from subjects with spondyloarthritis. Susceptibility values are significantly increased in areas of fat metaplasia compared to normal marrow, suggesting that this lesion represents a form of local bone loss, which could be monitored using susceptibility mapping.
This abstract and the presentation materials are available to members only; a login is required.