T2 Relaxation Time of Bone Marrow Water and Lipid: Correlation with Serum Ferritin in Normal Individuals

Purpose: This study investigated the correlation between the iron content of bone marrow and the transverse relaxation times (T2 values) of bone marrow water and lipid on MRI. Method: The T2 of the water and lipid fractions of bone marrow was selectively measured in the L1-3 vertebral bodies using the chemical shift misregistration effect on MRI. Results were compared to the serum ferritin levels in 27 healthy subjects. Results: The 1/T2 of the water fraction was strongly correlated with the serum ferritin, but there was no correlation between the 1/T2 of the lipid fraction and serum ferritin. Conclusion: Selective T2 measurement of the water fraction in bone marrow allows precise estimation of the marrow iron content.