title: Cervical root sonography to differentiate multifocal motor neuropathy from ALS.
abstract: To explore suggestive evidence of focal proximal demyelination in multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) without overt evidence of conduction block, we conducted sonographical assessment of cervical nerve roots in 9 MMN patients, 22 ALS patients, and 17 control subjects. The mean diameters of the C5 and C6 roots in MMN patients were significantly larger than those in ALS and controls, especially on the clinically dominant side. Although non-specific, sonography can be a potentially useful diagnostic procedure to support the diagnosis of MMN, even when overt conduction block is lacking.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Tokushima University.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nodera
authors.forename: Yuishin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Naoko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Takamatsu
authors.forename: Ryuji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaji
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000294:innervation; D003711:Demyelinating Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016472:Motor Neuron Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult