Table 1:

Clinical Condition—Brachial Plexopathy

MRI, neck, and/or chest, and/or upper extremityCT, neck, and/or chest, and/or upper extremityX-ray, chestX-ray, cervical spineFDG-PET, whole body
Without and with contrastWithout contrastWithout and with contrastWithout contrast
Sudden onset8a7a5a4a331
Chronic8a7a5a4a342b
Post-traumatic, nonacute*8a7a4a5a331
Cancer patient; no history of local radiation therapy8a7a5a4a437c
Cancer patient; post-radiation therapy8a7a5a4a437d
  • Note:—Appropriateness criteria scale from 1 to 9; 1, least appropriate; 9, most appropriate.

  • * CT myelography, cervical and/or thoracic spine = rating of 6, X-ray, myelography, cervical and/or thoracic spine = rating of 5 and usually performed with CT.

  • a One or more anatomically contiguous studies may be appropriate depending on clinical circumstances.

  • b May be appropriate if malignancy suspected.

  • c May be useful for staging and characterizing local lesion.

  • d Best imaging tool to distinguish between tumor recurrence and radiation plexopathy.