PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - R Gasparotti
AU  - S Ferraresi
AU  - L Pinelli
AU  - M Crispino
AU  - M Pavia
AU  - M Bonetti
AU  - D Garozzo
AU  - O Manara
AU  - A Chiesa
TI  - Three-dimensional MR myelography of traumatic injuries of the brachial plexus.
DP  - 1997 Oct 01
TA  - American Journal of Neuroradiology
PG  - 1733--1742
VI  - 18
IP  - 9
4099  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/18/9/1733.short
4100  - http://www.ajnr.org/content/18/9/1733.full
SO  - Am. J. Neuroradiol.1997 Oct 01; 18
AB  - PURPOSE To determine the diagnostic accuracy of three-dimensional MR myelography in the evaluation of traumatic injuries of the brachial plexus.METHODS Twenty patients with clinical and electromyographic evidence of traumatic brachial plexopathy were examined with three-dimensional MR myelography, conventional cervical myelography, and CT myelography 1 to 9 months after trauma. Three-dimensional MR myelography was performed on a 1.5-T MR unit with a constructive interference in steady state (CISS) technique. For each patient, maximum intensity myelographic projections and multiplanar reconstruction reformatted 1-mm axial sections were obtained from the same 3-D data set. Three-dimensional MR myelographic findings were compared with findings at cervical myelography and CT myelography. Surgical findings were available for comparison in 13 patients.RESULTS Three-dimensional MR myelography enabled detection of meningoceles with avulsed or intact nerve roots, partial or complete radicular avulsions without disruption of the thecal sac, dural sleeve abnormalities, and dural scars. Assuming cervical myelography and CT myelography as the standards of reference, 3-D MR myelography showed 89% sensitivity, 95% specificity, and 92% diagnostic accuracy in the evaluation of nerve root integrity.CONCLUSION Three-dimensional MR myelography can show the majority of traumatic lesions that involve the proximal portion of the brachial plexus in a single rapid examination. On the basis of our findings, we propose this technique as a screening examination for patients with traumatic brachial plexus palsy.