Abstract
Despite the tremendous advances in cross-sectional imaging modalities from the 1980’s to the present, peripheral nerves have often been ignored as unimportant or too small to be reliably seen. However today, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging scanners allow high quality depictions of peripheral nerves and the many disorders that may be encountered. While high frequency ultrasound is very useful in the analysis of some peripheral nerves, magnetic resonance nerve imaging has emerged into a more comprehensive and dedicated examination, often referred to as magnetic resonance neurography (MR neurography or MRN) [1]. This term was introduced by Filler and Howe et al. and includes high-resolution morphologic imaging of the peripheral nerves as well as functional imaging based on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) [2, 3]. The concept of magnetic resonance neurography is somewhat like magnetic resonance angiography where the visualization of the vascular system is enhanced by suppressing the signal from the surrounding soft tissue. Similarly, the signal from the surrounding tissue is may be suppressed in magnetic resonance neurography for better visualization of small peripheral nerves. Advances in pulse sequences for magnetic resonance neurography are being increasingly adopted by scanner manufacturers for dedicated magnetic resonance neurography.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Pham M, Baumer T, Bendszus M (2014) Peripheral nerves and plexus: imaging by MR-neurography and high-resolution ultrasound. Curr Opin Neurol 27(4):370–379
Chhabra A, Andreisek G (2012) Magnetic resonance neurography. Jaypee, London
Filler AG, Howe FA, Hayes CE et al (1993) Magnetic resonance neurography. Lancet 341(8846):659–661
Chhabra A, Zhao L, Carrino JA et al (2013) MR neurography: advances. Radiol Res Pract 2013:809568
Baumer P, Kele H, Kretschmer T et al (2014) Thoracic outlet syndrome in 3T MR neurography-fibrous bands causing discernible lesions of the lower brachial plexus. Eur Radiol 24(3):756–761
Chhabra A (2014) Peripheral MR neurography: approach to interpretation. Neuroimaging Clin N Am 24(1):79–89
Eppenberger P, Andreisek G, Chhabra A (2014) Magnetic resonance neurography: diffusion tensor imaging and future directions. Neuroimaging Clin N Am 24(1):245–256
Chhabra A, Ahlawat S, Belzberg A, Andreseik G (2014) Peripheral nerve injury grading simplified on MR neurography: as referenced to Seddon and Sunderland classifications. Indian J Radiol Imaging 24(3):217–224
Andreisek G, Burg D, Studer A, Weishaupt D (2008) Upper extremity peripheral neuropathies: role and impact of MR imaging on patient management. Eur Radiol 18(9):1953–1961
Andreisek G, Bencarino J (2013) Neuropathies of the upper extremity. In: Hodler J (ed) Musculoskeletal diseases. Springer, Milan
Deniel A, Causeret A, Moser T, Rolland Y, Dreano T, Guillin R (2015) Entrapment and traumatic neuropathies of the elbow and hand: an imaging approach. Diagn Interv Imaging 96(12):1261–1278
Donovan A, Rosenberg ZS, Cavalcanti CF (2010) MR imaging of entrapment neuropathies of the lower extremity. Part 2. The knee, leg, ankle, and foot. Radiographics 30(4):1001–1019
Petchprapa CN, Rosenberg ZS, Sconfienza LM, Cavalcanti CF, Vieira RL, Zember JS (2010) MR imaging of entrapment neuropathies of the lower extremity. Part 1. The pelvis and hip. Radiographics 30(4):983–1000
Beaulieu C, Does MD, Snyder RE, Allen PS (1996) Changes in water diffusion due to Wallerian degeneration in peripheral nerve. Magn Reson Med 36(4):627–631
Thawait SK, Wang K, Subhawong TK et al (2012) Peripheral nerve surgery: the role of high-resolution MR neurography. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 33(2):203–210
Chhabra A, Lee PP, Bizzell C, Soldatos T (2011) 3 Tesla MR neurography—technique, interpretation, and pitfalls. Skelet Radiol 40(10):1249–1260
Chhabra A, Flammang A, Padua A Jr, Carrino JA, Andreisek G (2014) Magnetic resonance neurography: technical considerations. Neuroimaging Clin N Am 24(1):67–78
Kasper JM, Wadhwa V, Scott KM, Rozen S, Xi Y, Chhabra A (2015) SHINKEI—a novel 3D isotropic MR neurography technique: technical advantages over 3DIRTSE-based imaging. Eur Radiol 25(6):1672–1677
Soldatos T, Andreisek G, Thawait GK et al (2013) High-resolution 3-T MR neurography of the lumbosacral plexus. Radiographics 33(4):967–987
Reeder SB, Yu H, Johnson JW et al (2006) T1- and T2-weighted fast spin-echo imaging of the brachial plexus and cervical spine with IDEAL water-fat separation. J Magn Reson Imaging 24(4):825–832
Kraus E, Tenforde AS, Beaulieu CF, Ratliff J, Fredericson M (2016) Piriformis syndrome with variant sciatic nerve anatomy: a case report. PM R 8(2):176–179
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Andreisek, G., Beaulieu, C.F. (2017). Peripheral Nerve Imaging. In: Hodler, J., Kubik-Huch, R., von Schulthess, G. (eds) Musculoskeletal Diseases 2017-2020. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54018-4_14
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54018-4_14
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-54017-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-54018-4
eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)