Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging
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Spin-lock imaging is a new magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique used to reflect the microstructural integrity of muscle. The purpose of this study was to characterize spin-lock contrast (SLC) of calf muscles in limb girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD). The calf muscles of 5 patients with LGMD and 10 healthy volunteers were imaged with an off-resonance magnetic resonance (MR) spin-lock suppression pulse. ⋯ Clinical assessments did a poorer job of differentiating than SLC did and were in poor agreement with spin-lock suppression ratios. Spin-lock MRI can quantify microstructural changes in LGMD and appears to provide information not obtainable from clinical evaluations. This suggests that this noninvasive technique may be useful in evaluating the extent, progression, and response to therapy of LGMD.
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The pathophysiology of focal spinal cord MRI T2 hyperintensity (SCHI) in patients with cervical spondylosis is uncertain. This study was undertaken to determine the frequency and cause of SCHI. The authors reviewed serial cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reports and reviewed scans with spondylosis and cord compression or SCHI. ⋯ Patients with SCHI were older (58.3 years +/- 12.8 years versus 46.8 +/- 8.1 years) (p = 0.007) and had a higher SS (5.7 +/- 2.4 versus 3.9 +/- 1.4) (p = 0.02) than patients without SCHI. The SCHI relates to the severity of cervical spondylosis. The anterior spinal artery territory location, the normal cord between SCHI and the compressive lesion, and the presence of SCHI at a distance from the compressive level all suggest an ischemic basis for SCHI.