Aims: To assess trabecular density and structures at various cancellous bone sites in the foot using MR imaging. To compare the MRI findings with the bone mineral density (BMD) values obtained by quantitative computed tomography (QCT) in the lumbar vertebrae.
Materials and methods: Bone mineral densities were measured by QCT in lumbar vertebrae 1 to 3 in ten patients with suspected osteoporosis. Sagittal images of the feet were obtained from these patients and also from seven healthy volunteers applying spin-echo and gradient-echo MR techniques.
Results: MR imaging revealed differences between patients with osteoporosis and individuals with healthy bones. Comparison of MR and BMD data revealed a significant dependence of MR data on the bone density measured by QCT (alpha < 0.05). In addition, a good correlation (r = 0.73) was found between the results of the different MRI techniques.
Conclusions: The MR imaging techniques investigated offer an interesting tool for the non-invasive assessment of bony structures, at least at peripheral locations with yellow bone marrow. To enable reliable application in the clinical routine setting, additional studies are required to identify suitable standardized methods and establish normal ranges.