Abstract
Whole-body MR imaging (WB-MR imaging) has become a modality of choice for detecting bone metastases in multiple cancers, and bone marrow involvement by multiple myeloma or lymphoma. Combination of anatomic and functional sequences imparts an inherently hybrid dimension to this nonirradiating tool and extends the screening of malignancies outside the skeleton. WB-MR imaging outperforms bone scintigraphy and CT and offers an alternative to PET in many tumors by time of lesion detection and assessment of treatment response. Much work has been done to standardize procedures, optimize sequences, validate indications, confirm preliminary research into new applications, rendering clinical application more user-friendly.
KEY POINTS
Using anatomic and functional sequences, whole-body MR imaging (WB-MR imaging) offers a
“hybrid” approach to global cancer staging, maximizing early detection of different lesion types
for all-organ screening and assessment of therapeutic response.
WB-MR imaging is now a commonly applied and recommended modality for bone screening for
“osteophilic” metastases in the case of solid cancers, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma and expands
screening to visceral and nodal involvement.
Efforts have been made for the optimization of the technique, minimization of acquisition times, and
harmonization in sequence acquisition, reading, reporting, and evaluation of lesion response to
treatment.
