title: Enhancing cranial nerves and cauda equina: an emerging magnetic resonance imaging pattern in metachromatic leukodystrophy and krabbe disease.
abstract: We report on three cases of infantile Krabbe disease and one case of infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy showing magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings of diffuse and coexistent cranial nerve and cauda equina nerve roots enhancement. Such findings may be simultaneous, or even precede, typical white matter abnormalities and, in the appropriate clinical context, may facilitate an earlier diagnosis. There is a rational for the use of contrast agents and craniospinal MR imaging during the first imaging of children with a history of psychomotor regression and clinical evidence of peripheral nerve involvement to exclude differential diagnoses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroradiology, G. Gaslini Children's Research Institute, Genoa, Italy. giovannimorana@ospedale-gaslini.ge.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Morana
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Biancheri
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dirocco
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Filocamo
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Marazzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pessagno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rossi
mesh_terms: D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003391:Cranial Nerves / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007965:Leukodystrophy, Globoid Cell / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007966:Leukodystrophy, Metachromatic / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male