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. 2015 Jul;52(1):137-9.
doi: 10.1002/mus.24630. Epub 2015 May 28.

Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities of peripheral nerve and muscle are common in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and share features with multifocal motor neuropathy

Nathan P Staff  1 , Kimberly K Amrami  2 , Benjamin M Howe  2
Affiliations

Magnetic resonance imaging abnormalities of peripheral nerve and muscle are common in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and share features with multifocal motor neuropathy

Nathan P Staff et al. Muscle Nerve. 2015 Jul.

Abstract

Introduction: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of peripheral nerve and muscle in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) may be performed to investigate alternative diagnoses, including multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN). MRI findings of peripheral nerve and muscle are not well described in these conditions, making interpretation of results difficult.

Methods: We examined systematically the peripheral nerve and muscle MRI findings in patients with ALS (n = 60) and MMN (n = 8).

Results: In patients with ALS and MMN, abnormal MRIs were common (85% and 75%, respectively), but did not correlate with disease severity. Peripheral nerve MRI abnormalities were similar in frequency (ALS 58%, MMN 63%), with most changes being of mild to moderate severity. Muscle MRI changes were more common in ALS (57% vs. 33%), and no muscle atrophy was seen in patients with MMN.

Conclusion: MRI abnormalities of peripheral nerve and muscle in ALS and MMN are common and share some features.

Keywords: ALS; MR neurography; MRI; amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; multifocal motor neuropathy.

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Figures

Figure
Figure
MRI findings in ALS (A, B) and MMN (C, D). Axial T1-weighted (A) and T2-weighted fat saturated (B) MR images of the left brachial plexus in a patient with ALS. Diffuse atrophy of the left shoulder girdle musculature with intramuscular edema consistent with chronic atrophy and ongoing denervation change, including the pectoralis (A and B, arrowheads) and deltoid (A, asterisk) The brachial plexus demonstrates diffuse mild thickening and increased T2-weighted signal of the nerves as seen in B (arrows). Axial T1-weighted (C) and T2-weighted fat saturated (D) MR images of the left brachial plexus in a patient with MMN. No abnormal muscle findings are identified about the left shoulder. The left brachial plexus demonstrates mild thickening and increased T2-weighted signal (D, arrows).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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