Conventional magnetic resonance imaging of peripheral nerves: MR-neurography

Abstract

Peripheral neuropathy is known to be one of the most common neurological disorders. Despite the great diagnostic value of electroneuromyography and ultrasound, addressing the diagnostics and differential diagnostics of peripheral nerve diseases of different origin could be challenging. In recent years, magnetic resonance tomography has been increasingly used for evaluating cases of suspected or established peripheral neuropathy with excellent results. This manuscript mainly deals with the advantages and limitations of the aforementioned diagnostic instruments, technical considerations according to different anatomy of peripheral nerves, along with state-of-the-art technical decisions, frequently used magnetic resonance imaging sequences and their diagnostic value based on own observation, and recommendations for contrast enhancement use and different methods of fat suppression. Currently, there is practically no standardized description of normal magnetic resonance imaging features of peripheral nerves, as well as their changes in different diseases. The evaluation of images is mainly based on the radiologist experience, which obviously decreases method’s diagnostic value. Studies of large numbers involving healthy volunteers and patients with peripheral neuropathies of different origin are required to address this issue.

Keywords

• magnetic resonance imaging
• peripheral nervous system diseases
• mri scans
• fat suppression
• imaging
• three-dimensional