title: Unexpected neuroimaging abnormalities in patients with apparent C8 radiculopathy: broadening the clinical spectrum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  C8-root impingement by C7/T1 lesions on neuroimaging studies is not consistently observed in C8 radiculopathy. We hypothesized that C7 or T1 root lesions (with a pre- or postfixed plexus) or cervical myelopathy might explain some "C8 radiculopathies" without C8 root compression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of cervical neuroimaging in 31 consecutive patients with EMG-confirmed C8 radiculopathy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five patients (16%) had C8-root compression at C7/T1. Of those without C8-root compression, 5 (16%) had C7-root compression at C6/7, one (3%) had T1-root compression at T1/T2, 7 (23%) had cervical cord compression at or above the C6/7 level, 4 (13%) had intramedullary cervical lesions, and 9 (29%) had mild or nonspecific findings.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  C8 radiculopathy without C8-root compression may be due to C7-root compression in the setting of a "prefixed" brachial plexus, upper cervical cord compression with vascular compromise of the distal cervical spinal cord ("myelopathic hand"), or intramedullary cervical cord lesions.
authors.affiliation: University of Vermont, Department of Neurology, Burlington, Vermont, USA.
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Hehir
authors.forename: Juan J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Figueroa
authors.forename: Andrea M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Zynda-Weiss
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stanton
authors.forename: Eric L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Logigian
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009192:Myelography; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods*; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology