Research PaperLumbar plexus in patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy: Evaluation with 3D nerve-sheath signal increased with inked rest-tissue rapid acquisition of relaxation enhancement imaging (3D SHINKEI)

PurposeTo evaluate whether 3D SHINKEI in the lumbar plexus could identify patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).Materials and methodsTwenty-one patients with CIDP and 15 non-CIDP patients were studied in this retrospective study. The SNR, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), contrast ratio (CR) and the size of the lumbar ganglions and roots were measured. Statistical analyses were performed with Mann-Whitney U test and receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis.ResultsThe SNRs of the ganglions and roots were larger in patients with CIDP (8.30 ± 4.87 and 8.24 ± 4.92) than in non-CIDP patients (4.95 ± 2.05 and 5.08 ± 1.97, P < 0.0001, respectively). The CNRs of the ganglions and roots were larger in patients with CIDP (40.79 ± 43.19 and 37.16 ± 48.31) than in non-CIDP patients (25.90 ± 10.41 and 18.37 ± 32.83, P < 0.0001, respectively). The CRs of the ganglions and roots were larger in patients with CIDP (0.74 ± 0.13 and 0.66 ± 0.17) than in non-CIDP patients (0.72 ± 0.12 and 0.50 ± 0.17, P = 0.004 and P < 0.0001, respectively). The sizes of the ganglions and the roots were larger in patients with CIDP (6.62 ± 1.81 mm and 5.76 ± 3.24 mm) than in non-CIDP patients (5.23 ± 1.17 mm and 4.24 ± 1.11 mm, P < 0.0001, respectively). ROC analysis showed the best diagnostic performance with the CNR of the roots.ConclusionPatients with CIDP could be distinguished from controls on 3D SHINKEI.