Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbosacral roots in the dysimmune inflammatory polyneuropathies.
The diagnosis of acute Guillain-Barré syndrome and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy is based on clinical characteristics, abnormalities on nerve conduction studies, and nerve biopsy specimens indicating demyelination. Inflammation and edema are also common findings in nerve specimens. Immunotherapy is helpful in these dysimmune conditions. Occasionally the diagnosis is difficult to make, particularly when electrophysiological testing or nerve biopsy findings are not characteristic. The authors found contrast enhancement of lumbosacral roots in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy and Guillain-Barré syndrome, but not in those with other demyelinating neuropathies. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging could be a useful tool in the diagnosis of the dysimmune inflammatory neuropathies.
Department of Neurology, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38163.
T
T
Bertorini
H
H
Halford
J
J
Lawrence
D
D
Vo
M
M
Wassef
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002607:Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003287:Contrast Media; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D011128:Polyradiculopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000473:pathology*
D003287:Contrast Media; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D005682:Gadolinium; D019786:Gadolinium DTPA