A regional acceleration of bone remodeling may possibly follow biomechanical insults
to the bone. This review assesses the literature and clinical arguments supporting
the hypothetical association between accelerated bone remodeling and bone marrow edema
(BME)-like signal intensity on magnetic resonance imaging. BME-like signal is defined
as a confluent ill-delimited area of bone marrow with a moderate decrease in signal
intensity on fat-sensitive sequences and a high signal intensity on fat-suppressed
fluid-sensitive sequences. In addition to this confluent pattern, a linear subcortical
pattern and a patchy disseminated pattern have also been recognized on fat-suppressed
fluid-sensitive sequences. These particular BME-like patterns may remain occult on
T1-weighted spin-echo images. We hypothesize that these BME-like patterns, with particular
characteristics in terms of distribution and signal, are associated with accelerated
bone remodeling. Limitations in recognizing these BME-like patterns are also discussed.
Keywords
bone remodeling - regional acceleratory phenomenon - bone turnover - bone marrow edema
- magnetic resonance imaging