Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head after Bone Marrow Transplantation

PURPOSE: To retrospectively review finding of osteonecrosis of the femoral head after bone marrow transplantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the clinical and MR findings of osteonecrosis of the femoral head in 23 of 1112 patients who underwent marrow transplantation during a five-year follow-up period lasting from 1996 to 2000. RESULTS: Mean age at the time of diagnosis was 31 (range, 20-47) years, and the mean time from transplant to diagnosis was 17 months. All patients developed variable graft-versus-host disease and seventeen were treated with high-dose prednisolone and/or cysclosporin for severe acute or extensive chronic graft versus host disease. Osteonecrosis was diagnosed by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, which allowed early detection of disease assessment of its stage. At the time of diagnosis, 15 hips were at stage I, 28 at stage II, two at stage III, and none at stage IV, according to the international ARCO classification system. Osteonecrosis of femoral diaphyses, the lower lumbar spine, or pelvic bones in the MR field was also found to have occurred in 11 patients. Initial treatment was conservative: 21 hips underwent surgery [core decompression (n=10), vascularized fibular bone graft (n=5), and joint replacement (n=6)]. CONCLUSION: In patients receiving high-dose steroids for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease, MR screening might help detect osteonecrosis at an early stage.

Multiple Bony Lesions other than Femoral Heads on

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical significance of the multiple increased uptake lesions other than in femoral heads as seen on whole body bone scan in patients with avascular necrosis of femoral heads. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and seventy three patients with clinical diagnosis of avascular necrosis of fthe emoral head underwent a bone scan using Tc-99m MDP. Increased uptake lesions other than in femoral heads were evaluated, including frequency and common sites of involvement, and correlated with clinical information and plain radiographic findings. Two hundred patients without AVN, who had undergone a bone scan, were included as a control group. RESULTS: Increased uptake lesions in extrafemoral head locations were found in 36 of 173 patients(20.8% ; the location of 79 lesions was other than the femoral head, This result is statistically different from patients without avascular necrosis of femoral head(p<0.0001). The most common site of involvement was the knee joint area(62.5%). Other lesions were located in the mid-shafts of the long bones of the lower extremities, calcaneus, proximal humerus, etc., in order of decreasing frequency. Plain radiographs of 17 lesions were nonspecific, except for three lesions showing definite changes associated with avascular necrosis. The risk factors included alcoholism, the prolonged use of steroids, renal transplantation, herbal medication and working as a working as deep-sea diver. Most patients did not complain of pain, except for two with irreversible osteonecrotic changes as seen on plain radiograph. CONCLUSION: in patients with avascular necrosis of the femur, increased uptake lesions other than in the femoral head as seen on bone scan, may represent the early stage of osteonecrosis, which shows a characteristic appearance on bone scan. In order to avoid possible misdiagnoses of multiple extrafemoral lesions as bony metastasis or traumatic lesions, in patients with avascular necrosis of the femur these should be carefully evaluated.

Multiple Bony Lesions other than Femoral Heads on

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinical significance of the multiple increased uptake lesions other than in femoral heads as seen on whole body bone scan in patients with avascular necrosis of femoral heads. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and seventy three patients with clinical diagnosis of avascular necrosis of fthe emoral head underwent a bone scan using Tc-99m MDP. Increased uptake lesions other than in femoral heads were evaluated, including frequency and common sites of involvement, and correlated with clinical information and plain radiographic findings. Two hundred patients without AVN, who had undergone a bone scan, were included as a control group. RESULTS: Increased uptake lesions in extrafemoral head locations were found in 36 of 173 patients(20.8% ; the location of 79 lesions was other than the femoral head, This result is statistically different from patients without avascular necrosis of femoral head(p<0.0001). The most common site of involvement was the knee joint area(62.5%). Other lesions were located in the mid-shafts of the long bones of the lower extremities, calcaneus, proximal humerus, etc., in order of decreasing frequency. Plain radiographs of 17 lesions were nonspecific, except for three lesions showing definite changes associated with avascular necrosis. The risk factors included alcoholism, the prolonged use of steroids, renal transplantation, herbal medication and working as a working as deep-sea diver. Most patients did not complain of pain, except for two with irreversible osteonecrotic changes as seen on plain radiograph. CONCLUSION: in patients with avascular necrosis of the femur, increased uptake lesions other than in the femoral head as seen on bone scan, may represent the early stage of osteonecrosis, which shows a characteristic appearance on bone scan. In order to avoid possible misdiagnoses of multiple extrafemoral lesions as bony metastasis or traumatic lesions, in patients with avascular necrosis of the femur these should be carefully evaluated.

MR imaging of Kienbock's Disease

PURPOSE: To evaluate the MRI appearance of Kienbock's disease and correlate this with radiographic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirteen clinically confirmed cases of 12 patients with kienbock's disease wereretrospectively reviewed. The significance of signal intensity and pattern of Kienbock's disease on MR images was evaluated and the findings on MR images were compared with radiographic stages classified by Lichtman. Enhanced MR images were abtained in four cases. RESULTS: Lichtman's stage I accounted for one case; stage II, two; stage III, eight; stage IV, two. On T1-weighted MR images, the lunate showed focal low signal intensity in the stage I caseand in one of the two stage II case. Eleven wrists demonstrated a generalized loss of lunate signal. On T2-weighted images, the stage I case showed focal high signal intensity. In stage II, one showed focal low signal intensity and the other exhibited generalized low signal intensity with a high spot area. In stage III, five ofeight cases showed generalized low signal intensity, and one demonstrated high signal intensity. Two showed a high spot area within the generalized low signal intensity. In stage IV, one showed generalized low signal intensity and the other exhibited high signal intensity. No enhancement was seen in the three lesions with focal orgeneralized low signal intensity both on T1 and T2-weighted images. Conversely, one lesion with low signalintensity on T1-weighted imaes and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images showed contrast enhancement. CONCLUSION: Low signal intensity of the lunate on T1-weighted images is a consistent findings of Kienbock's disease. However, further studies such as follow-up MRIs, or pathologic correlation studies and MR contrast enhancement studies will be necessary to evaluate the sighificance of high signal intensity on T2-weighted images.