title: A short protocol for muscle MRI in children with muscular dystrophies.
abstract: The use of muscle magnetic resonance imaging in patients with muscular dystrophies or congenital myopathies has been limited. We describe the development of a short protocol to be used in young patients with neuromuscular disorders. The protocol includes transverse T1-weighted spin echo sequence images of thighs and calves. The total scanning time is less than 30 minutes, and can be easily applied to patients over the age of 4 years without any need for sedation. Although only the leg muscles are imaged, the images obtained can still help to identify specific patterns of muscle involvement and provide additional help in the differential diagnosis of muscle disorders with overlapping clinical features.
authors.affiliation: Dubowitz Neuromuscular Centre, Department of Paediatrics, Imperial School of Medicine, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK. e.mercuri@ic.ac.uk
authors.forename: Eugenio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mercuri
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pichiecchio
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Counsell
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Allsop
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cini
authors.forename: Heinz
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jungbluth
authors.forename: Carla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uggetti
authors.forename: Graeme
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bydder
mesh_terms: D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed