MR全身扩散加权成像与SPECT骨显像对恶性肿瘤骨转移灶检出的对比研究

目的比较MR全身扩散加权成像(WB-DWI)与SPECT骨显像在恶性肿瘤骨转移诊断中的应用价值。资料与方法 30例经病理证实的恶性肿瘤患者,均于2周内分别行WB-DWI与SPECT骨显像检查。将骨骼系统分为8个区域观察,颅骨、肩胛骨、胸锁骨、肋骨、脊椎、骨盆、肱骨、股骨。比较WB-DWI及SPECT骨显像检出的阳性病例数、病灶数量及区域。结果 25例患者有骨转移灶,受累区域共计84处,病灶数量共计204处。WB-DWI共检出骨转移21例,74处受累区域,193处阳性病灶;SPECT骨扫描检出骨转移18例,有72处受累区域,192处阳性病灶。两种方法在诊断恶性肿瘤骨转移灶阳性病例数及受累区域上差异无统计学意义(χ2=0.021,0.650,P>0.05)。WB-DWI尚能检出骨转移灶之外的病灶共计263处,其中原发肿瘤23处,实质脏器转移灶61处,淋巴结转移灶179处。结论 WB-DWI和SPECT骨显像在骨转移瘤的检出方面具有较好的一致性,而且WB-DWI可以发现更多的骨外器官及淋巴结病变,可作为诊断骨转移瘤的一种新的、无辐射的有效方法。     

1．5T磁共振全身弥散加权成像对肺癌骨转移的应用

目的：探讨背景抑制快速全身磁共振弥散成像（WB-DWI）技术在肺癌骨转移中的初步应用价值。方法：对40例健康志愿者和56例经病理证实为肺癌的患者进行WB-DWI检查,经三维-最大密度投影（3D-MIP）重建和黑白翻转后处理,将骨骼系统分为8个区域,分别记录每个患者各区域WB-DWI阳性病例数。对所有WB—DWI影像与同位素骨扫描（SPECT）影像表现比较分析。结果：WB-DWI阳性病例为42例,受累区域85处,共检出病灶数为207处;SPECT阳性病例为39例,受累区域81处,共检出病灶数为199处。结论：WB-DWI与SPECT有非常好的一致性,且WBCDWI检查廉价快捷无辐射,重复性好,在肺癌骨转移检出和治疗后随访方面具有重要的临床应用价值。     

全身弥散加权成像与同位素骨扫描诊断乳腺癌骨转移对比研究

目的：比较全身弥散加权成像（w昏DwI）、同位素骨扫描（radionuclidebonescan）技术在乳腺癌骨转移的应用价值。方法：40例经病理证实为乳腺癌的患者分别作WB—DWI及同位素骨扫描检查。wB_DWl检查使用反转恢复平面回波弥散序列行全身扫描,将骨骼系统分为3个区域,分别记录每个患者各区域WB-DWI阳性病例数。对所有w睁DwI及同位素骨扫描影像表现的乳腺癌转移例数及发生部位行统计学比较。结果：WB-DWI阳性病例为35例,共检出病灶数为146个;同位素骨扫描阳性病例为30例,共检出病灶数为141个,wB_DwI的病灶检出率高于同位素骨扫描;wHrDwI与同位素骨扫描诊断乳腺癌骨转移例数及发生部位无统计学差异。结论：WB-DWI检查无辐射,覆盖范围大,具有较高的敏感性,对乳腺癌骨转移早期筛查、诊断及预后评价方面具有重要的临床应用价值。     

大范围扩散加权成像与骨扫描对照评价前列腺癌骨转移的前瞻性研究

目的 评价大范围(从头顶到小腿)MR DWI在前列腺痈骨转移瘤检测中的应用.方法 搜集接受前列腺MR检查的166例连续患者,所有患者均行前列腺局部扫描及大范围DWI.其中49例在1个月内接受骨扫描检查和大范围DWI并行双盲法诊断.以常规T1WI和压脂T2WI为标准,确定骨转移瘤的存在及其位置.49例均为MRI和核素检查后获得前列腺的穿刺病理结果.大范围DWI与骨扫描对骨转移瘤诊断的敏感度、特异度、受试者操作特征曲线(ROC曲线)下面积应用McNemar检验进行比较.转移瘤患者中有5例有>10处/例的全身多发骨转移,在以病灶为单位研究时不纳入计算.结果 49例中10例有骨转移瘤,而DWI和核素骨扫描分别诊断15和17例有骨转移瘤,大范围DWI和核素骨扫描诊断骨转移瘤的敏感度均为100%(10/10),特异性分别为87.2%(34/39)和82.1%(32/39),ROC曲线下面积分别为0.936和0.910.44例患者中2种技术共显示68处异常信号和(或)放射浓聚灶,有20处被证实为骨转移瘤,而DWI显示其中23处为骨转移瘤,核素骨扫描显示其中34处为骨转移瘤.以病灶为单位(68处)计算大范围DWI和核素骨扫描诊断骨转移瘤灶的敏感度均为90.0%(18/20),特异度分别为89.6%(43/48)和66.7%(32/48),ROC曲线下面积分别为0.898和0.783,大范围DWI的特异度高于骨扫描(P<0.01),ROC曲线下面积也高于核素骨扫描(P<0.05).结论 大范围DWI可用于前列腺癌骨转移瘤的检查,特异度和准确度高于骨扫描.     

MR全身弥散加权成像与核素骨扫描对骨转移瘤诊断价值的对比研究

目的 对比磁共振全身弥散加权成像(WB-DWI)与全身核素骨扫描在诊断骨转移瘤中的价值.方法 连续收集经病理证实的恶性肿瘤患者22例,对病人同期行WBDWI及全身核素骨扫描检查,分区域记录WB-DWI及全身核素骨扫描显示的病灶数目以及受累区域.以受累区域为单位分析2种检查方法诊断骨转移瘤的灵敏度及特异度,并采用ROC曲线分析2种方法诊断骨转移瘤的效能.结果 经活检及常规MR断层显示18例有骨转移瘤,共计病灶数目182个,受累区域63处.WB-DWI共检出病灶161个,全身核素骨扫描共检出病灶157个,以受累区域为单位,WB-DWI诊断骨转移瘤的灵敏度为87.3%,特异度为92.7%,曲线下面积为0.900;核素骨扫描诊断骨转移瘤的灵敏度为84.1%,特异度为90.5%,曲线面积为0.873,采用Hanley-McNeil检验对曲线下面积行差异性检验,Z值=1.582,P>0.05,其差异无显著统计学意义.结论 WB-DWI与核素骨扫描诊断骨转移瘤的效能无明显差异,WB-DWI可作为一种新的、无辐射的检查方法应用于骨转移瘤的诊断.     

单电子发射断层成像/CT同机图像融合诊断乳腺癌骨转移的临床研究

目的评价单电子发射断层成像(SPECT)/CT同机图像融合显像对全身骨显像难于确诊乳腺癌骨病灶的鉴别诊断价值。方法对单纯全身骨显像难于确诊的75例乳腺癌患者的153个病灶行局部SPECT/CT同机融合断层显像。以临床病理、磁共振成像(MRI)、CT、骨扫描复查或PET/CT检查为确诊依据,计算诊断符合率、灵敏度、特异度、阳性预测值及阴性预测值。结果单纯全身骨显像无法确诊的153个病灶,经SPECT/CT融合断层正确诊断的恶性病灶51个(33.3%),良性病灶89个(58.2%)。诊断符合率91.5%,灵敏度92.7%,特异度90.8%,阳性预测值85.0%,阴性预测值95.7%。结论 SPECT/CT同机图像融合显像能够对单独SPECT骨扫描难于确诊的病灶进行准确诊断,明显地提高了乳腺癌骨转移病灶的诊断准确性,在女性乳腺癌患者骨病灶的鉴别诊断中具有很高的临床应用价值。     

乳腺癌患者骨病灶SPECT/CT融合显像的临床价值

目的 探讨SPECT/CT融合显像诊断与鉴别乳腺癌患者全身骨显像放射性异常浓聚灶的临床价值。 方法 对25例乳腺癌患者的99Tcm-MDP全身骨显像显示的骨异常放射性浓聚灶行SPECT/CT融合显像。4~8个月后再次行全身骨显像及SPECT/CT融合显像复查。图像由两名有经验的核医学科医师独立分析, 部分CT图像由有经验的放射科医师分析指导。 结果 在25例乳腺癌患者的37个异常放射性浓聚灶中, 确定29(29/37, 78. 38%)个病灶为骨转移灶, 其中有2个椎体病灶在初次检查中判读为良性病灶; 8(8/37, 21. 62%)个病灶为良性病灶, 其中1个肋骨病灶在初次检查中判读为骨转移灶, 比较全身骨显像和SPECT/CT融合显像, 二者之间差异有统计学意义(χ2=6.975, P < 0.05)。骨转移灶主要分布于椎骨及肋骨。全身骨显像和SPECT/CT融合显像的诊断灵敏度、特异度、阳性预测值、阴性预测值和准确率分别为82.76%、75.00%、92.31%、54.55%、81.08%和93.10%、87.50%、96.43%、77.78%、91.89%。采用受试者操作特性曲线(ROC)进行分析, 结果:全身骨显像曲线下面积为0. 860±0. 056, SPECT/CT融合显像曲线下面积为0. 974±0. 020。SPECT/CT融合显像曲线下面积大于全身骨显像曲线下面积, 两者之间差异具有统计学意义(χ2=9. 924, P < 0.001)。 结论 SPECT/CT融合显像较全身骨显像能更好地鉴别出乳腺癌骨病灶的性质, 能够提高诊断准确率, 具有重要的临床价值; 必要时应在4~8个月后复查SPECT/CT。     

联合应用SPECT与MR检查恶性肿瘤早期骨转移的价值

目的:探讨联合应用单光子计算机断层扫描仪(SPECT)与磁共振扫描仪(MR)检查明确恶性肿瘤骨转移的的价值。方法:总结有随访结果的58例恶性肿瘤骨转移患者的早期诊断方法,用单光子计算机断层扫描仪(SPECT)进行全身核素骨显像的同时,进行MR检查。随访时间1.0~3.6年,平均15个月。结果:①早期诊断恶性肿瘤骨转移应在临床怀疑基础上SPECT进行全身核素骨显像的同时进行MR检查,SPECT的敏感度为75.8%,MR的敏感度为91.3%;MR有更高的敏感性与准确性;②SPECT与MR能够检测治疗过程中骨转移的病灶变化,MR扫描更具有优越性。结论:联合应用SPECT进行全身核素骨显像的同时进行MR检查,可以提高恶性肿瘤骨转移的早期诊断率,并且作为评估治疗效果的有效手段。     

SPECT/CT融合显像对乳腺癌骨转移的诊断价值

目的 评价SPECT/CT融合显像对^99Tc^m-MDP全身骨显像难于确诊的乳腺癌骨病灶的鉴别诊断价值.方法 对^99Tc^m-MDP全身骨显像难于确诊的132例乳腺癌患者的210个病灶行局部SPECT/CT同机融合断层显像,以临床随访及病理检查获得最终诊断结果,计算SPECT/CT融合显像对骨转移灶的诊断准确率、灵敏度、特异度、阳性预测值及阴性预测值,并对比不同部位病灶的诊断准确率差异.结果 ①210个病灶经SPECT/CT融合断层显像正确诊断的恶性病灶82个（39.0％）,良性病灶112个（53.3％）,诊断准确率为92.4％（194/210）,灵敏度为94.3％,特异度为91.1％,阳性预测值为88.2％,阴性预测值为95.7％.②SPECT/CT同机融合断层显像对不同部位的病灶的诊断准确率不一致,脊椎的诊断准确率最高,为95.9％（94/97）,肋骨最低,为83.7％（36/43）,其差异有统计学意义（χ^2=7.81,P＜0.05）.结论 SPECT/CT同机融合显像能够对^99Tc^m-MDP全身骨显像难于确诊的病灶进行准确诊断,其对不同部位的病灶的诊断准确率有差异,脊椎的诊断准确率最高,肋骨最低.     

脊柱转移瘤MR扫描与核素骨显像的对比研究

目的探讨脊柱骨转移瘤MR扫描阳性、核素骨显像阴性的不同原因。方法回顾经临床确诊的68例脊柱骨转移瘤病人的MRI与核素骨显像检查,分析MR影像表现,包括病灶的大小、位置及其与骨皮质关系和核素骨显像结果之间的相互联系。结果在MRI图像显示561个病灶中,核素骨显像病灶检出率35.47%(199/561)。位于骨髓内没有骨皮质侵犯的133个病灶,核素骨显像未能检出,但位于骨皮质下、经骨皮质层病灶其检出率分别为25.58%(55/215)、67.61%(144/213);小病灶组(<15mm)、大病灶组(≥15mm)病灶检出率分别为10.12%(25/247)和55.4%(174/314);相同扫描野阳性病例检出率MRI(64/68=94.12%)优于核素骨显像(49/68=72.06%),有显著差异(P<0.05)。结论脊柱转移瘤的大小、位置及骨皮质受累与否影响核素骨显像的检出率,位于骨髓内没有骨皮质侵犯的早期病灶是MR扫描阳性核素骨显像阴性的重要原因。     

Whole-body MRI for detecting metastatic bone tumor: diagnostic value of diffusion-weighted images.

PURPOSE: We assessed the diagnostic value of whole body magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (WB-MRI) using diffusion-weighted images (DWI) for detecting bone metastasis and compared it with that of skeletal scintigraphy (SS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty patients with malignancies (breast cancer, 17 patients; prostate cancer, 9; and one patient each, thyroid cancer, liposarcoma, leiomyosarcoma, and extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma) underwent both WB-MRI and SS to detect bone metastasis. All patients were followed more than 6 months by MR imaging, SS, or computed tomographic (CT) examination. For WB-MRI, patients were placed in feet-first supine position with table-top extender and quadrature body coil. We acquired DWI (axial plane from lower neck to proximal femur) (single shot short TI inversion-recovery [STIR]: repetition time [TR] 6243/echo time [TE] 59/inversion time [TI] 180 ms; b value: 600 s/mm(2); 5-mm slice thickness; 112 x 112 matrix), T(1)-weighted fast spin echo (T(1)WI), and STIR (sagittal plane of total spine images and coronal plane of whole body images) images. Four blinded readers independently and separately interpreted images of combined MR sequences of T(1)WI+STIR (session 1) and T(1)WI+STIR+DWI (session 2). RESULTS: In 10 of 30 patients, we detected a total of 52 metastatic bone lesions; in the other 20, follow-up examinations confirmed no metastatic bone lesions. For these 52 lesions, for session 2, the mean sensitivity was 96% and the positive predictive value (PPV) was 98%. Those values were superior to those of session 1 (sensitivity: 88%; PPV: 95%) and those of SS (sensitivity: 96%; PPV: 94%). CONCLUSION: WB-MRI that included DWI was useful for detecting bone metastasis.     

Factors influencing visualization of vertebral metastases on MR imaging versus bone scintigraphy

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the location and size of vertebral body metastases influence the difference in detection rates between MR imaging and bone scintigraphy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the vertebral body lesions detected on MR imaging in 74 patients with known widely disseminated metastatic disease. Three radiologists independently reviewed the MR images and bone scintigraphs. MR imaging findings included lesion size and its spatial relationship to the bony cortex (intramedullary, subcortical, and transcortical) and results were correlated with those of planar technetium 99m bone scintigraphy. RESULTS: Findings on bone scans were negative for all intramedullary lesions without cortical involvement shown on MR imaging, regardless of their size. Findings on bone scans (71.3% for transcortical and 33.8% for subcortical) were frequently positive for lesions with cortical involvement (trans- or subcortical), and the probability of positive findings on bone scans was also influenced by the lesion size. Statistical analysis showed a positive correlation among cortical involvement, lesion size, and positive findings on bone scintigraphy (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Location (the presence of cortical bone involvement on MR imaging) and size of the vertebral body metastases appear to be important contributing factors to the difference in detection rates between MR imaging and bone scintigraphy. Cortical involvement is likely the cause of positive findings on bone scans. Early vertebral metastases tend to be small and located in the medullary cavity without cortical involvement, and therefore, findings may be positive on MR images but negative on bone scans.     

18 F-FDG PET显像与99Tcm-MDP全身骨显像诊断肿瘤远处转移的比较

目的　评价18F 脱氧葡萄糖 (FDG)PET肿瘤显像与99Tcm 亚甲基二膦酸盐 (MDP)全身骨显像对检出骨和远处转移的价值。方法　对 16例恶性肿瘤放化疗后的患者进行18F FDGPET显像和99Tcm MDP全身骨显像 ,并对两种结果进行了比较。结果　 16例肿瘤患者中18F FDGPET显像皆阳性 ,其中 14例患者有远处转移 ,转移病灶共 62处 ,其中骨转移病灶 2 0处 ;在全身骨显像中 ,11例有局限性异常放射性浓聚 ,其中 2例为单一病灶 ,9例为多发病灶 ,共检出病灶 5 7处 ,另 5例骨显像正常。结论　18F FDGPET对恶性肿瘤的诊断具有较高的准确性和特异性 ,但对骨转移灶的诊断价值相对较差 ;99Tcm MDP显像阴性或单一病灶的可疑转移瘤患者有必要进行18F FDGPET检查 ,以明确诊断其他远处转移灶     

Whole-body MR imaging for detection of bone metastases in children and young adults: comparison with skeletal scintigraphy and FDG PET.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the diagnostic accuracy of whole-body MR imaging, skeletal scintigraphy, and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) for the detection of bone metastases in children. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty-nine children and young adults who were 2--19 years old and who had Ewing's sarcoma, osteosarcoma, lymphoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, melanoma, and Langerhans' cell histiocytosis underwent whole-body spin-echo MR imaging, skeletal scintigraphy, and FDG PET for the initial staging of bone marrow metastases. The number and location of bone and bone marrow lesions diagnosed with each imaging modality were correlated with biopsy and clinical follow-up as the standard of reference. RESULTS: Twenty-one patients exhibited 51 bone metastases. Sensitivities for the detection of bone metastases were 90% for FDG PET, 82% for whole-body MR imaging, and 71% for skeletal scintigraphy; these data were significantly different (p < 0.05). False-negative lesions were different for the three imaging modalities, mainly depending on lesion location. Most false-positive lesions were diagnosed using FDG PET. CONCLUSION: Whole-body MR imaging has a higher sensitivity than skeletal scintigraphy for the detection of bone marrow metastases but a lower sensitivity than FDG PET.     

SPECT/CT联合三相骨显像对骨骼良恶性病变鉴别诊断的增益价值

目的 探讨三相骨显像联合SPECT/CT对骨骼良恶性病变鉴别诊断较单纯三相骨显像的增益价值.方法 回顾分析2008年7月至2011年9月间临床怀疑骨肿瘤、并行三相骨显像联合SPECT/CT显像的45例患者,其中男28例,女17例,年龄11～82(44.1±21.2)岁.病灶均经外科手术治疗或穿刺活组织检查获得病理诊断.2位核医学科医师先分析三相骨显像图,判断病变良恶性;在其基础上,结合SPECT/CT融合图像分析,再次判断病变良恶性.与病理诊断结果比较,分别对单纯三相骨显像和SPECT/CT联合三相骨显像对患者病灶良恶性诊断效能进行分析.采用SPSS 16.0软件,以x2检验比较2种方法诊断的准确性.结果 病理诊断恶性病变29例,良性病变16例.三相骨显像和SPECT/CT联合三相骨显像对骨骼良恶性病变的诊断灵敏度分别为96.6％(28/29)和100％(29/29),特异性分别为37.5％(6/16)和81.2％(13/16),阳性预测值分别为73.7％(28/38)和90.6％(29/32),阴性预测值分别为6/7和100％(13/13).三相骨显像诊断准确性为75.6％(34/45),SPECT/CT联合三相骨显像诊断准确性提高至93.3％(42/45),两者差异有统计学意义(x2=4.145,P＜0.05).结论 SPECT/CT联合三相骨显像对骨骼病灶良恶性病变判断的准确性较三相骨显像明显提高,具有增益价值.     

The prospect of incidental detection of unsuspected skeletal tuberculosis by bone scintigraphy should not be overlooked

BACKGROUND: The potential roles of bone scintigraphy in the evaluation of tuberculosis are not well-defined. It is commonly considered that skeletal tuberculosis occurs only after pulmonary tuberculosis. Bone scintigraphy was not known to be an effective imaging modality in the evaluation of skeletal tuberculosis, especially in those without known systemic tuberculosis. PURPOSE: To assess the prospect of bone scintigraphy in the detection of skeletal tuberculosis in patients who came to the department of nuclear medicine to evaluate back pain. METHODS: Patient records and the images of 1817 cases of consecutive bone scintigraphy performed for the evaluation of unknown causes of back pain were retrospectively reviewed. The imaging findings were compared with the status of tuberculosis before and after scintigraphy. RESULTS: Sixteen patients had skeletal tuberculosis confirmed by histopathological examination. Six patients had solitary while 10 had multifocal skeletal lesions. Before bone scintigraphy, 2 patients were suspected but not confirmed to have pulmonary tuberculosis, 4 were suspected to have skeletal tuberculosis by other modalities while the remaining 10 patients were not suspected to have tuberculosis in any part of the body. Following bone scintigraphy, among those 10 patients who were unsuspected of having tuberculosis, further tests demonstrated that 3 had pulmonary tuberculosis in addition to skeletal tuberculosis and 1 had cervical tuberculous lymphadenitis. In total, among those 16 patients with confirmed skeletal tuberculosis, only 6 had concurrent extraskeletal tuberculosis while 10 patients had their tuberculosis limited to the skeletal system. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that pulmonary or systemic tuberculosis is not a prerequisite for skeletal tuberculosis. Skeletal tuberculosis should be among the differential diagnoses when there is a positive bone scan in patients without a malignancy in an endemic region.     

Comparison of whole-body STIR-MRI and <Superscript>99m</Superscript>Tc-methylene-diphosphonate scintigraphy in children with suspected multifocal bone lesions

The study was performed to compare whole-body short time inversion recovery (STIR) MR imaging and ^99mTc-methylene diphosphonate planar scintigraphy in the examination of children with suspected multifocal skeletal malignant lesions. Sixteen patients with known or suspected malignant skeletal disease underwent both whole-body STIR MR imaging and bone scintigraphy. The lesions were described and numbered according to scintigraphic evaluation criteria. Thus, 16 regions were analyzed in each patient for the comparison between the two modalities. Histology was proven in the primary malignant regions. Follow-up MRIs were registered. Scintigraphy and MRI follow-up were evaluated as gold standard. A total of 139 different lesions was observed by both modalities. Baseline whole-body MRI revealed 119 bone lesions in 256 possible sites (46.5%); scintigraphy revealed only 58 lesions (22.6%). Congruence was observed in only four patients (25%). According to the location of the lesion, correlation was observed in 39/139 lesions (28%). In all, 57.5% of the lesions were detected only by MRI and 14.5% of the lesions were detected only by scintigraphy. Whole-body MRI was more sensitive (P<0.001). Of all lesions numbered which could be separated in the initial MRI, whole-body MRI detected 178 lesions in the patients. The results suggest that whole-body MRI using a STIR sequence is an effective radiation free method for examination of children with suspected multifocal bone lesions. MRI showed more lesions than conventional ^99mTc-methylene diphosphonate scintigraphy. Therefore, whole-body MRI may be feasible as a screening modality for metastatic and skip lesions in osteosarcoma, PNET, Ewing sarcoma and Langerhans cell histiocytosis in children.     

Comparison of whole-body MR imaging and bone scintigraphy in the detection of bone metastases from breast cancer

The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of whole body MR imaging (WB-MRI) in the detection of bone metastases from breast cancer and to compare the results with those from bone scintigraphy. In 21 patients with suspected bone metastasis from breast cancer, both bone scintigraphy and WB-MRI were performed. With WB-MRI, coronal images were obtained using a body coil in an FOV of 48 cm, and sequences of fast short TI inversion recovery (STIR) and gadolinium-enhanced fast spoiled GRASS (SPGR) were used in three parts: from the head to the thorax, the abdomen to the pelvis, and the lower extremities. Of the total 105 metastatic bone lesions, 65 (61.9%) were detected by bone scintigraphy, 98 (93.3%) by fast STIR, and 74 (70.5%) by fast SPGR. Thus, the detection of bone metastases by WB-MRI was excellent. However, detectability in the ribs was lower for WB-MRI than for bone scintigraphy. Contrast-enhanced MRI was useful in the differentiation of osteosclerotic lesions, in which high signal intensity is rare, pleural effusion, which has high signal intensity on STIR, and bone metastatic lesions. In conclusion, WB-MRI showed high reliability in the detection of bone metastatic lesions from breast cancer.