Correlation between vertebral bone marrow T2* value and bone mineral density and its role in diagnosing osteoporosis

Motivation: The relationship between vertebral bone marrow T2* value and bone mineral density (BMD) has been rarely reported and remains controversial. Goal(s): The study aimed to analyze the correlation between T2* and BMD and evaluate the efficacy of T2* in diagnosing osteoporosis. Approach: The IDEAL IQ MR Sequence was used to measure vertebral bone marrow T2* and quantitative computed tomography (QCT) was used to measure BMD. Results: Vertebral T2* was negatively correlated with BMD. While T2* can serve as a supplementary indicator for diagnosing osteoporosis, it should not be relied upon as the sole diagnostic indicator. Impact: MRI-based T2* value provides a safer way for quantitative assessment of OP, and may be used as a complement to BMD to improve the accuracy of early diagnosis of OP.