MRI of benign lumbosacral nerve root enhancement.

Enhancement of nerve roots in the lumbosacral spine after intravenous administration of gadolinium contrast agents is seen in benign conditions such as disc herniation and spinal stenosis and may be observed in either the unoperated or postoperative spine. Correlating reasonably well with the clinical syndrome, nerve root enhancement represents actual pathology within nerve roots reflected by this breakdown in the blood-nerve barrier. Nerve root enhancement may be used in certain circumstances to show and confirm clinically relevant neurological disease.