Download PDF
Semin Musculoskelet Radiol 2010; 14(1): 047-056
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1248704
© Thieme Medical Publishers

Whole-Body Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Skeletal Muscle Disease

Martin J. Shelly1 , Ferdia Bolster1 , Paul Foran1 , Ian Crosbie1 , Eoin C. Kavanagh1 , 2 , Stephen J. Eustace1 , 2 , 3
  • 1Department of Radiology, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
  • 2Department of Radiology, Cappagh National Orthopaedic Hospital, Finglas, Dublin, Ireland
  • 3Department of Radiology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
Further Information

Publication History

Publication Date:
12 March 2010 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

ABSTRACT

The evaluation of muscle diseases has traditionally integrated clinical with biochemical findings, occasionally resorting to muscle biopsy. This article reviews the role and imaging appearances of muscle diseases at MRI, specifically emphasising the role of WBMRI in global assessment of muscle abnormality, and in particular its role in determining distribution and extent of muscle abnormality.

KEYWORDS

Whole-body MRI - inflammatory myopathy - neuromuscular disorders - muscle atrophy - muscle edema

REFERENCES

  • 1 Farber J M, Buckwalter K A. MR imaging in nonneoplastic muscle disorders of the lower extremity.  Radiol Clin North Am. 2002;  40(5) 1013-1031
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 2 Ahn J M, El-Khoury G Y. Role of magnetic resonance imaging in musculoskeletal trauma.  Top Magn Reson Imaging. 2007;  18(3) 155-168
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 3 Schmidt G P, Reiser M F, Baur-Melnyk A. Whole-body imaging of the musculoskeletal system: the value of MR imaging.  Skeletal Radiol. 2007;  36(12) 1109-1119
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 4 Chan W P, Liu G C. MR imaging of primary skeletal muscle diseases in children.  AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2002;  179(4) 989-997
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 5 Napier N, Shortt C, Eustace S. Muscle edema: classification, mechanisms, and interpretation.  Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 2006;  10(4) 258-267
    Thieme ConnectPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 6 Rybak L D, Torriani M. Magnetic resonance imaging of sports-related muscle injuries.  Top Magn Reson Imaging. 2003;  14(2) 209-219
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 7 May D A, Disler D G, Jones E A, Balkissoon A A, Manaster B J. Abnormal signal intensity in skeletal muscle at MR imaging: patterns, pearls, and pitfalls.  Radiographics. 2000;  20(Spec No) S295-S315
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 8 Snell R S. Introduction. In: Clinical Anatomy for Medical Students. 5th ed. Boston, MA; Little, Brown 1995: 1-45
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 9 Adams E M, Chow C K, Premkumar A, Plotz P H. The idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: spectrum of MR imaging findings.  Radiographics. 1995;  15(3) 563-574
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 10 Dahnert W. Radiology Review Manual. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins 2007
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 11 Curiel R V, Jones R, Brindle K. Magnetic resonance imaging of the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: structural and clinical aspects.  Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2009;  1154 101-114
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 12 Weckbach S. Whole-body MR imaging for patients with rheumatism.  Eur J Radiol. 2009;  70(3) 431-441
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 13 Hargaden G, O'Connell M, Kavanagh E, Powell T, Ward R, Eustace S. Current concepts in whole-body imaging using turbo short tau inversion recovery MR imaging.  AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2003;  180(1) 247-252
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 14 O'Connell M J, Powell T, Brennan D, Lynch T, McCarthy C J, Eustace S J. Whole-body MR imaging in the diagnosis of polymyositis.  AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2002;  179(4) 967-971
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 15 Dalakas M C, Hohlfeld R. Polymyositis and dermatomyositis.  Lancet. 2003;  362(9388) 971-982
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 16 Wong E H, Hui A C, Griffith J F, Wong S M, Szeto C C. MRI in biopsy-negative dermatomyositis.  Neurology. 2005;  64(4) 750
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 17 Connor A, Stebbings S, Anne Hung N, Hammond-Tooke G, Meikle G, Highton J. STIR MRI to direct muscle biopsy in suspected idiopathic inflammatory myopathy.  J Clin Rheumatol. 2007;  13(6) 341-345
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 18 Tomasová Studynková J, Charvát F, Jarosová K, Vencovsky J. The role of MRI in the assessment of polymyositis and dermatomyositis.  Rheumatology (Oxford). 2007;  46(7) 1174-1179
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 19 Schweitzer M E, Fort J. Cost-effectiveness of MR imaging in evaluating polymyositis.  AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1995;  165(6) 1469-1471
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 20 Lundberg I E, Alexanderson H. Technology insight: tools for research, diagnosis and clinical assessment of treatment in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.  Nat Clin Pract Rheumatol. 2007;  3(5) 282-290
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 21 Olsen N J, Qi J, Park J H. Imaging and skeletal muscle disease.  Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2005;  7(2) 106-114
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 22 Tzaribachev N, Well C, Schedel J, Horger M. Whole-body MRI: a helpful diagnostic tool for juvenile dermatomyositis case report and review of the literature.  Rheumatol Int. 2009;  29(12) 1511-1514
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 23 Lovitt S, Moore S L, Marden F A. The use of MRI in the evaluation of myopathy.  Clin Neurophysiol. 2006;  117(3) 486-495
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 24 Walker U A. Imaging tools for the clinical assessment of idiopathic inflammatory myositis.  Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2008;  20(6) 656-661
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 25 Maillard S M, Jones R, Owens C et al.. Quantitative assessment of MRI T2 relaxation time of thigh muscles in juvenile dermatomyositis.  Rheumatology (Oxford). 2004;  43(5) 603-608
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 26 Kumar V AA, Fausto N, Aster J. Acute and chronic inflammation. In: Kumar VAA, Fausto N, Aster J Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA; Saunders 2010: 43-77
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 27 Dalakas M C. Mechanisms of disease: signaling pathways and immunobiology of inflammatory myopathies.  Nat Clin Pract Rheumatol. 2006;  2(4) 219-227
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 28 Bohan A, Peter J B. Polymyositis and dermatomyositis (first of two parts).  N Engl J Med. 1975;  292(7) 344-347
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 29 Bohan A, Peter J B. Polymyositis and dermatomyositis (second of two parts).  N Engl J Med. 1975;  292(8) 403-407
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 30 Fleckenstein J L, Reimers C D. Inflammatory myopathies: radiologic evaluation.  Radiol Clin North Am. 1996;  34(2) 427-439, xii
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 31 Anthony D CFM, De Girolami U. Peripheral nerve and skeletal muscle. In: Kumar VAA, Fausto N, Aster J Robbins and Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA; Saunders 2010: 1257-1277
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 32 Cantwell C, Ryan M, O'Connell M et al.. A comparison of inflammatory myopathies at whole-body turbo STIR MRI.  Clin Radiol. 2005;  60(2) 261-267
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 33 Askanas V, Engel W K. Inclusion-body myositis, a multifactorial muscle disease associated with aging: current concepts of pathogenesis.  Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2007;  19(6) 550-559
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 34 Palmer W E, Kuong S J, Elmadbouh H M. MR imaging of myotendinous strain.  AJR Am J Roentgenol. 1999;  173(3) 703-709
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 35 De Smet A A. Magnetic resonance findings in skeletal muscle tears.  Skeletal Radiol. 1993;  22(7) 479-484
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 36 Helms C A, Martinez S, Speer K P. Acute brachial neuritis (Parsonage-Turner syndrome): MR imaging appearance—report of three cases.  Radiology. 1998;  207(1) 255-259
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 37 Kamath S, Venkatanarasimha N, Walsh M A, Hughes P M. MRI appearance of muscle denervation.  Skeletal Radiol. 2008;  37(5) 397-404
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 38 Misamore G W, Lehman D E. Parsonage-Turner syndrome (acute brachial neuritis).  J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1996;  78(9) 1405-1408
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 39 Kikuchi Y, Nakamura T, Takayama S, Horiuchi Y, Toyama Y. MR imaging in the diagnosis of denervated and reinnervated skeletal muscles: experimental study in rats.  Radiology. 2003;  229(3) 861-867
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 40 Ryan M, Twair A, Nelson E, Brennan D, Eustace S. Whole body magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of Parsonage Turner syndrome.  Acta Radiol. 2004;  45(5) 534-539
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 41 Beltran J, Simon D C, Katz W, Weis L D. Increased MR signal intensity in skeletal muscle adjacent to malignant tumors: pathologic correlation and clinical relevance.  Radiology. 1987;  162(1 Pt 1) 251-255
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 42 May D A, Good R B, Smith D K, Parsons T W. MR imaging of musculoskeletal tumors and tumor mimickers with intravenous gadolinium: experience with 242 patients.  Skeletal Radiol. 1997;  26(1) 2-15
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 43 Weatherall P. Imaging of muscle tumors.  Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 2000;  4(4) 435-458
    Thieme ConnectPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 44 Rosenberg A. Bones, joints, and soft tissue tumors. In: Cotran RS, Robbins SL, Collins T, Kumar V Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA; Saunders 1999: 1259-1267
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 45 Stein-Wexler R. MR imaging of soft tissue masses in children.  Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am. 2009;  17(3) 489-507
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 46 Shelly M J, MacMahon P J, Eustace S. Radiology of soft tissue tumors including melanoma.  Cancer Treat Res. 2008;  143 423-452
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 47 Pappo A S, Shapiro D N, Crist W M. Rhabdomyosarcoma. Biology and treatment.  Pediatr Clin North Am. 1997;  44(4) 953-972
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 48 Yousem D M, Lexa F J, Bilaniuk L T, Zimmerman R I. Rhabdomyosarcomas in the head and neck: MR imaging evaluation.  Radiology. 1990;  177(3) 683-686
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 49 Fleckenstein J L, Watumull D, Conner K E et al.. Denervated human skeletal muscle: MR imaging evaluation.  Radiology. 1993;  187(1) 213-218
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 50 Ozsarlak O, Parizel P M, De Schepper A M, De Jonghe P, Martin J J. Whole-body MR screening of muscles in the evaluation of neuromuscular diseases.  Eur Radiol. 2004;  14(8) 1489-1493
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 51 Mercuri E, Pichiecchio A, Allsop J, Messina S, Pane M, Muntoni F. Muscle MRI in inherited neuromuscular disorders: past, present, and future.  J Magn Reson Imaging. 2007;  25(2) 433-440
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 52 Liu G C, Jong Y J, Chiang C H, Jaw T S. Duchenne muscular dystrophy: MR grading system with functional correlation.  Radiology. 1993;  186(2) 475-480
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 53 Messineo D, Cremona A, Trinci M, Francia A, Marini A. MRI in the study of distal primary myopathies and of muscular alterations due to peripheral neuropathies: possible diagnostic capacities of MR equipment with low intensity field (0.2 T) dedicated to peripheral limbs.  Magn Reson Imaging. 1998;  16(7) 731-741
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 54 Lamminen A E. Magnetic resonance imaging of primary skeletal muscle diseases: patterns of distribution and severity of involvement.  Br J Radiol. 1990;  63(756) 946-950
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 55 Ozsarlak O, Schepens E, Parizel P M et al.. Hereditary neuromuscular diseases.  Eur J Radiol. 2001;  40(3) 184-197
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 56 Pichiecchio A, Uggetti C, Egitto M G et al.. Quantitative MR evaluation of body composition in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.  Eur Radiol. 2002;  12(11) 2704-2709
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 57 Manzur A Y, Muntoni F. Diagnosis and new treatments in muscular dystrophies.  J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2009;  80(7) 706-714
    PubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 58 Schreiber A, Smith W L, Ionasescu V et al.. Magnetic resonance imaging of children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.  Pediatr Radiol. 1987;  17(6) 495-497
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 59 Schara U, Schoser B G. Myotonic dystrophies type 1 and 2: a summary on current aspects.  Semin Pediatr Neurol. 2006;  13(2) 71-79
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 60 Day J W, Ricker K, Jacobsen J F et al.. Myotonic dystrophy type 2: molecular, diagnostic and clinical spectrum.  Neurology. 2003;  60(4) 657-664
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 61 Wheeler T M, Thornton C A. Myotonic dystrophy: RNA-mediated muscle disease.  Curr Opin Neurol. 2007;  20(5) 572-576
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 62 Kornblum C, Lutterbey G, Bogdanow M et al.. Distinct neuromuscular phenotypes in myotonic dystrophy types 1 and 2: a whole body highfield MRI study.  J Neurol. 2006;  253(6) 753-761
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 63 Damian M S, Bachmann G, Herrmann D, Dorndorf W. Magnetic resonance imaging of muscle and brain in myotonic dystrophy.  J Neurol. 1993;  240(1) 8-12
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 64 Castillo J, Pumar J M, Rodríguez J R et al.. Magnetic resonance imaging of muscles in myotonic dystrophy.  Eur J Radiol. 1993;  17(3) 141-144
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 65 Fleckenstein J L. MRI of neuromuscular disease: the basics.  Semin Musculoskelet Radiol. 2000;  4(4) 393-419
    Thieme ConnectPubMedSearch in Google Scholar
  • 66 Brennan D D, Whelan P F, Robinson K et al.. Rapid automated measurement of body fat distribution from whole-body MRI.  AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2005;  185(2) 418-423
    CrossrefPubMedSearch in Google Scholar

Martin J ShellyM.D. 

Department of Radiology, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

Eccles St., Dublin 7, Ireland

Email: martinshelly@gmail.com