title: Thinning of cervical nerve roots and peripheral nerves in ALS as measured by sonography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Progressive atrophy and loss of motor axons is a hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Limited sonographic data are available on potential detection of atrophy of peripheral nerves and nerve roots in ALS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with either definite or probable ALS and control subjects underwent sonographic evaluation of the cervical roots (C5, C6, and C7) and peripheral nerves (median and ulnar nerves) on the right. These diameters and cross-sectional areas (C6, median, and ulnar nerves) were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The diameters and cross-sectional areas were consistently smaller in ALS than in controls. No correlation was present between the sonographic parameters and the disease severity, disease duration, age, or gender. The overall sensitivity and specificity tended to be greater in the cervical nerve roots than in the peripheral nerves.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows atrophy of cervical nerve roots and peripheral nerves in ALS detected by sonography. Cervical nerve roots might be more appropriate to detect motor axon loss than peripheral nerves.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sonographic evaluation of nerve roots and peripheral nerves may be a useful disease marker in ALS to confirm the diagnosis and to potentially monitor the disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan. Electronic address: hnodera@tokushima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nodera
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan; Department of Neurology, Vihara Hananosato Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takamatsu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshimitsu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimatani
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsuko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenta
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Vihara Hananosato Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaya
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Terasawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan; Department of Neurology, Vihara Hananosato Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan. Electronic address: yizumi@clin.med.tokushima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yuishin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokushima University, Tokushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaji
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D001284:Atrophy; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000294:innervation / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography
keywords: ALS; Nerve root; Sonography