Clinical haematology · UKMLA & AKT
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
A free high-yield preview for the UKMLA Applied Knowledge Test, covering how to recognise this condition. The full SA Note notes add investigations, management and complications, with practice questions on this topic.
Key high-yield points
- Osteomyelitis - gold standard; sensitivity 90-100%; detects bone marrow oedema (T2 bright signal) and soft tissue involvement within days of onset
- Multiple myeloma (suspected) - whole-body MRI is now first-line (supersedes skeletal survey and whole-body CT); identifies focal and diffuse bone marrow infiltration without ionising radiation
- CNS - superior to CT for posterior fossa, MS (demyelinating plaques), epilepsy, brain tumours; CT preferred for acute haemorrhage and head trauma
- Musculoskeletal - ligament/meniscal tears, rotator cuff, soft tissue tumours, spinal cord/nerve root pathology
A normal X-ray does NOT exclude osteomyelitis - X-ray changes only appear 10-21 days after infection onset (once ~30-50% of bone density is lost). MRI detects marrow oedema within 3-5 days.
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