title: Muscle magnetic resonance imaging sensitivity does not decrease in chronic, mild, or proximal lower limb neuropathies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Muscle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an innovative tool for exploring focal neuropathies. However, its usefulness in mild, proximal, or chronic lesions, when electromyography (EMG), the current "gold standard" sensitivity is inadequate, has yet to be studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical, MRI, and EMG examinations were performed in 113 muscles of 17 consecutive patients with clinically diagnosed lower limb focal neuropathies. The sensitivity and specificity of MRI and EMG were evaluated in relation to disease duration, severity, and anatomical location.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Muscle MRI was highly sensitive for the detection of denervated muscle, and, unlike EMG, its sensitivity did not decrease regardless of the anatomical location, duration, or severity of the neuropathy. Five MRI false positives were noted, including three in the thigh muscles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Muscle MRI is an alternative tool to EMG in proximal, mild, or chronic clinical diagnoses of lower limb focal neuropathies. However, it also seems prone to false-positive results, particularly in proximal muscles.
authors.affiliation: Physiologie Clinique-Explorations Fonctionnelles, AP-HP, Hôpital Lariboisière, 2 rue Ambroise Paré, 75010 Paris, France.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Deroide
authors.forename: Valérie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bousson
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Daguet
authors.forename: Julien
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dumurgier
authors.forename: Sophie Ng Wing
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Tin
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hannouche
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Richette
authors.forename: Johann
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beaudreuil
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lioté
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lévy
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vicaut
authors.forename: Jean Denis
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Laredo
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kubis
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003402:Creatine Kinase / Q000097:blood; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003402:Creatine Kinase