doiSerbia

Significance of magnetic resonance imaging in differential diagnosis of nontraumatic brachial plexopathy

Perić Stojan (School of Medicine, Clinical Center of Serbia, Institute of Neurology, Belgrade)
Lavrnić Slobodan (School of Medicine, Clinical Center of Serbia, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Belgrade)
Basta Ivana (School of Medicine, Clinical Center of Serbia, Institute of Neurology, Belgrade)
Damjanović Dušan (School of Medicine, Clinical Center of Serbia, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Belgrade)
Stošić-Opinćal Tatjana (School of Medicine, Clinical Center of Serbia, Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Belgrade)
Lavrnić Dragana (School of Medicine, Clinical Center of Serbia, Institute of Neurology, Belgrade)

Background/Aim. Nontraumatic brachial plexopathies may be caused by primary or secondary tumors, radiation or inflammation. The aim of this study was to present the significance of MRI in revealing the cause of nontraumatic brachial plexopathy. Methods. A two-year retrospective study included 22 patients with nontraumatic brachial plexopathy. In all the patients typical clinical findings were confirmed by upper limb neurophysiological studies. In all of them MRI of brachial plexus was performed by 1.5 T scanner in T1 and T1 FS sequence with and without contrast, as well as in T2 and T2 FS sequences. Results. Seven (32%) patients had brachial plexopathy with signs of inflammatory process, 5 (23%) patients had secondary tumors, in 4 (18%) patients multifocal motor neuropathy was established and in the same number (18%) of the patients postradiation fibrosis was found. Two patients (9%) had primary neurogenic tumors. Conclusion. According to the results of this study MRI is a method which may determine localization and cause of brachial plexopathy. MRI can detect focal nerve lesions when other methods fail to find them. Thus, MRI has a direct impact on further diagnostic and therapeutical procedures.

Keywords: brachial plexus neuropathies, diagnosis, magnetic resonance imaging, diagnosis, differential