[The diagnostic value of magnetic resonance imaging on neuromuscular diseases].

The article concentrated on the study of skeletal muscles of four extremities in 12 cases of different kinds of neuromuscular diseases and 4 volunteers with MRI. The results revealed: MRI could clearly display individual muscle, muscle groups or abnormal muscles morphologically. It could also demonstrate the difference between the neurogenic and myogenic changes. In patients with progressive muscular dystrophy (PMD), the gracilis m. and sartorius m. were relatively intact. In patients with primary myopathies, the severity of MRI changes was consistent with the severity of the illness and the EMG changes. The results indicated that MRI examination was helpful in the diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders. It can define the distribution and the severity of impaired muscles. In addition, MRI could be used to select the appropriate muscles for EMG examinations or muscle biopsies. Selective muscular impairments might be the characteristics of patients with PMD.