title: MRI findings and steroid therapy for neuralgic amyotrophy in children.
abstract: Neuralgic amyotrophy is not uncommon in adults but is relatively rare in children. We recently encountered 2 cases of neuralgic amyotrophy in children. Patient 1 was a 7-year-old girl who developed a right leg paralysis after an epileptic seizure. Lumbar plexus T(2)-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a hyperintense and thickened portion extending from the root to the knee region of the right sciatic nerve, and T(1)-weighted conventional spin echo with gadolinium administration revealed enhancement. Patient 2 was a 4-year-old boy who experienced a sudden onset of severe right arm pain and paralysis. T(2)-weighted MRI with a short tau inversion recovery revealed a slightly thickened and high intensity region at the right C(6)-C(8) level. After high-dose methylprednisolone pulse therapy was performed in each case, patient 1 experienced complete recovery, whereas patient 2 experienced only amelioration of pain. A diagnosis of neuralgic amyotrophy in children was facilitated by an MRI study (T(2) weighed with short tau inversion recovery and T(1) weighted with gadolinium enhancement), and early steroid therapy might have improved the condition of these children.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Osaka Medical Center and Research Institute for Maternal and Child Health, Osaka, Japan. keitaro_ymd1976@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Keitaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mano
authors.forename: Yasuhisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Toribe
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yanagihara
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suzuki
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D020968:Brachial Plexus Neuritis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000150:complications; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D013256:Steroids; D002220:Carbamazepine; D008775:Methylprednisolone