Anorexia nervosa: correlation between MR appearance of bone marrow and severity of disease

PURPOSE: To identify bone marrow abnormalities on magnetic resonance (MR) images of patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) and to correlate the findings with body mass index (BMI) and blood cell count. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The signal intensity patterns in the lumbar, pelvic, and femoral marrow spaces were evaluated on MR images obtained in 14 patients with AN and 14 control subjects. RESULTS: Six patients with AN had a waterlike signal intensity pattern either throughout the three marrow spaces (five patients) or only in the marrow cavity of the proximal femur (one patient). Results of biopsy performed in one of the six patients showed that the marrow had findings typical of serous atrophy. The BMI values and blood cell counts in the six patients were lower than those of the eight other patients with AN and the 14 control subjects. CONCLUSION: Bone marrow has an unusual signal intensity and distribution at MR imaging in patients with AN who have a low BMI value and biologic signs of bone marrow dysfunction.