Magnetic resonance imaging as a diagnostic modality in a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common form of childhood cancer. It presents with nonspecific symptoms, such as bone pain, that can be easily misdiagnosed at initial presentation. We present a 2-year-old boy with bilateral foot pain that worsened over 6 months. X-rays of the feet showed no obvious abnormalities. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed abnormal bone marrow consistent with an infiltrative process. The patient was found to have precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cases such as these highlight the possible future use of magnetic resonance imaging in the early diagnostic workup for bone and muscle pain.