title: Evaluation of the lumbar spine in patients with glycogen storage disease: CT demonstration of patterns of paraspinal muscle atrophy.
abstract: CT studies of the lumbar spine were performed in 19 patients with glycogen storage disease. Nine of 10 patients with McArdle's disease and seven of nine patients with acid maltase deficiency demonstrated posterior paraspinal muscle atrophy out of proportion to their ages. In addition, the psoas muscles were spared in all 10 patients with McArdle's disease and were involved with atrophy in seven of the nine patients with acid maltase deficiency. We conclude that when patients with low back pain-or asymptomatic patients-demonstrate otherwise unexplained atrophy of the paraspinal muscles the diagnosis of glycogen storage disease should be considered. Furthermore, when the psoas muscles are spared, the specific diagnosis of McArdle's disease is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Cornell University Medical College, Manhasset, NY 11030.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cinnamon
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Slonim
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Black
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Gorey
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Scuderi
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Hyman
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy; D001416:Back Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005087:Glucan 1,4-alpha-Glucosidase / Q000172:deficiency; D006008:Glycogen Storage Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009134:Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D005087:Glucan 1,4-alpha-Glucosidase