title: Significance of magnetic resonance imaging in differential diagnosis of nontraumatic brachial plexopathy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nontraumatic brachial plexopathies may be caused by primary or secondary tumors, radiation or inflammation. The aim of this study was to present the significance of MRI in revealing the cause of nontraumatic brachial plexopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A two-year retrospective study included 22 patients with nontraumatic brachial plexopathy. In all the patients typical clinical findings were confirmed by upper limb neurophysiological studies. In all of them MRI of brachial plexus was performed by 1.5 T scanner in T1 and T1 FS sequence with and without contrast, as well as in T2 and T2 FS sequences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven (32%) patients had brachial plexopathy with signs of inflammatory process, 5 (23%) patients had secondary tumors, in 4 (18%) patients multifocal motor neuropathy was established and in the same number (18%) of the patients postradiation fibrosis was found. Two patients (9%) had primary neurogenic tumors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the results of this study MRI is a method which may determine localization and cause of brachial plexopathy. MRI can detect focal nerve lesions when other methods fail to find them. Thus, MRI has a direct impact on further diagnostic and therapeutical procedures.
authors.affiliation: University of Belgrade, School of Medicine, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.
authors.forename: Stojan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perić
authors.forename: Slobodan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lavrnić
authors.forename: Ivana
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Basta
authors.forename: Dusan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Damjanović
authors.forename: Tatjana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stosić-Opinćal
authors.forename: Dragana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lavrnić
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020516:Brachial Plexus Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged