Quantitative MRI for Myelofibrosis

This study is for the development and validation of functional magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) parameters as biomarkers for analyzing extent of disease and quantifying response to
treatment in patients with myelofibrosis. Quantitative MRI parameters for diffusion of water
and/or fat content in bone marrow will determine extent of disease in patients with
myelofibrosis, and changes in these parameters will predict response to therapy. To
investigate this hypothesis, the researchers will perform this pilot clinical study of
diffusion and fat content (T1 weighted imaging) in patients before and during treatment for
myelofibrosis. The researchers expect to identify MRI parameters that determine the extent
and severity of bone marrow disease in these patients and determine response to therapy at
earlier time points than currently used clinical parameters. This research will lay the
foundation for larger clinical trials using MRI to assess and predict effects of existing and
new therapeutic agents for patients with myelofibrosis.

This study proposes that more advanced MRI techniques currently used in clinical medicine can
be applied to enable response to therapy to be determined earlier than currently is possible
for patients with myelofibrosis. In particular, this study is designed to determine to what
extent abnormalities in diffusion of water molecules (diffusion MRI) and/or fat content in
bone marrow (T1-weighted imaging) define extent of initial disease and serve as early
predictors of response to therapy.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Male /female subjects over the age of 18

2. Diagnosis of primary myelofibrosis, post-polycythemia vera myelofibrosis, or
post-essential thrombocythemia myelofibrosis.

3. No contraindications to MRI

4. Able to undergo MRI without anesthesia

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Patients with pacemakers or other implanted magnetic devices that may malfunction or
move because of the strong magnetic field inside the MRI room and scanner.

2. Any prior adverse event associated with MRI that is not related to injection of
contrast agents or other medicines.