Analysis of ovariectomy and estrogen effects on body composition in rats by X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging techniques.

Resistance of bone to fracture--bone strength--has been shown to depend on both the amount of bone and its architectural spatial organization. In vivo magnetic resonance (MR) techniques have the capability of imaging bone tissue, including the trabecular microarchitecture and the marrow composition. We have applied in vivo and ex vivo MR methods to the tibia in an ovariectomized rat model of osteoporosis. Specifically, in vivo high-resolution three-dimensional MR imaging and localized MRS were facilitated by specialized coils and high field magnets, resulting in enhanced sensitivity of detection. As a result, in vivo and ex vivo differences in marrow composition were found between sham-ovariectomized, ovariectomized, and ovariectomized animals treated with 17-beta-estradiol. Estrogen effects were detected in vivo 7 days after surgery (3 days into treatment) as a decrease in the tibial fat signal level. The in vivo effects of ovariectomy were observed 56 days after surgery as an increase in MR image fat signal level and spectral fat/water ratio in the proximal tibia. Ex vivo measurements of tibial marrow water signal discriminated clearly between the sham and ovariectomized groups and showed increased individual variations in the treatment group. Imaging further showed that the highest fat content is observed in the epiphysis. Computed tomography confirmed ovariectomy-induced loss of bone in the proximal tibial metaphysis compared with the sham group. This loss of cancellous bone with ovariectomy is consistent with the MR observations of increases in both fat and water in the metaphysis. These data showed that MR techniques complement X-ray techniques in the bone, water, and fat compositional analysis of the appendicular skeleton in response to ovariectomy and pharmacological treatment.