Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 May;126(5):707-716.
doi: 10.1007/s11547-020-01317-5. Epub 2021 Jan 4.

Distinct MR features in scleroderma associated myopathy

Shivani Ahlawat #  1 , Julie Paik #  2 , Filippo Del Grande  3   4 , Elias S Paris  5 , Parvinder Sujlana  5 , Laura M Fayad  5
Affiliations

Distinct MR features in scleroderma associated myopathy

Shivani Ahlawat et al. Radiol Med. 2021 May.

Abstract

Objective: To compare the MRI features in patients with fibrosing [FM] versus non-fibrosing [NFM] systemic sclerosis [SSc]-associated myopathy.

Methods: 10 patients with FM and 14 with NFM underwent bilateral thigh MRI [T1-weighted, STIR and DW/ADC mapping]. Three observers, blinded to histology evaluated 36 muscles per patient for presence of intramuscular edema, fascial edema, fatty replacement and atrophy and measured ADC values. Fisher's exact test and student's t-test were used to compare MRI findings of FM [endomysial/ perimysial fibrosis] and NFM [necrosis/inflammation] on histology.

Results: Intramuscular edema [p < 0.0001] and fascial edema [p = 0.07] were more common in FM. On DWI, elevated intramuscular signal was more common in FM, [low b-value: p < 0.0001 and high b-value: p < 0.0001]. On T1, NFM exhibited more fatty replacement [p = < 0.0001] and atrophy [p = < 0.0001].

Conclusions: Intramuscular and fascial edema on MRI are more common in SSc-associated FM, while markers of chronic muscle damage are more often associated with NFM.

Keywords: Diffusion weighted imaging; Fibrosis; Magnetic resonance imaging; Myopathy; Scleroderma.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. van den Hoogen F, Khanna D, Fransen J et al (2013) classification criteria for systemic sclerosis: an American College of Rheumatology/European League against Rheumatism collaborative initiative. Arthritis Rheum 65:2737–2747 - DOI
    1. Thompson JM, Bluestone R, Bywaters EG et al (1969) Skeletal muscle involvement in systemic sclerosis. Ann Rheum Dis 28:281–288 - DOI
    1. Muangchan C, Markland J, Robinson D et al (2013) The 15% rule in scleroderma: the frequency of severe organ complications in systemic sclerosis. A systematic review J Rheumatol 40:1545–1556 - DOI
    1. Averbuch-Heller L, Steiner I, Abramsky O (1992) Neurologic manifestations of progressive systemic sclerosis. Arch Neurol 49:1292–1295 - DOI
    1. West SG, Killian PJ, Lawless OJ (1981) Association of myositis and myocarditis in progressive systemic sclerosis. Arthritis Rheum 24:662–667 - DOI

LinkOut - more resources