[Diagnosis of schistosomiasis of the spinal cord: contribution of magnetic resonance imaging and electroneuromyography].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging MRI and electroneuromyography (ENMG) in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis of the spinal cord (SSC).


METHODS
18 MRI of the thoracolumbar spine and 24 ENMG of the upper and lower limbs were carried out on patients with a definite diagnosis of SSC in the clinical forms of myeloradiculitis or thoracic transverse myelitis.


RESULTS
Of the 18 MRI carried out, 16 (88.8%) showed abnormalities on T1 and T2 weighted images and heterogenous pattern of enhancement with contrast material injection. Of the 24 ENMG, 23 (95.8%) showed a feature of bilateral multiradiculopathy of roots L2, L3, L4, L5, S1, S2, asymmetric in 10 cases (41.6%), characterized by signs of denervation in the lumbar paraspinal musculature and long duration polyphasic potentials in increased proportion, as well decrease of the recruitment of motor units.


CONCLUSIONS
In spite of the non-specificity of both exams, the MRI and the ENMG showed to be useful for the diagnosis of SSC, by revealing abnormalities that repeated in 88.8% and 95.8% of the cases, respectively.
Peregrino
Alberto Jorge Pereira
AJ
Divisão de Neurologia, Hospital das Clínicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. peregrino@nanet.com.br
Puglia
Paula Marzorat Kuntz
PM
Bacheschi
Luiz Alberto
LA
Hirata
Maria Tereza Alves
MT
Brotto
Mario Wilson Iervolino
MW
Nobrega
José Paulo Smith
JP
Scaff
Milberto
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009187:Myelitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology; D012555:Schistosomiasis mansoni / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000469:parasitology