Bone marrow reconversion and magnetic resonance imaging: case report

Introduction. Bone marrow is divided into red marrow mainly constituted of hemopoietic cells and fatty yellow marrow. In some situations, yellow marrow may be converted into red marrow and this process is called marrow reconversion. Magnetic resonance imaging may be misleading with an invading bone marrow neoplastic process. Exegesis. We report a patient with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma with vertebral invasion. Clinical features at presentation were misleading with lower limbs migratory pain suggestive of inflammatory myositis. An MRI study of thigh muscles revealed femoral nodular lesions suggestive of bone marrow reconversion. Conclusion. Bone marrow reconversion is a physiologic and reversible process. Awareness of its radiographic features may help to avoid a diagnostic biopsy procedure. (C) 2003 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. Tous droits reserves.