Lumbar 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)

Purpose To evaluate whether 3D SHINKEI in the lumbar plexus could identify patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Materials and methods Twenty-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. Results The 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. Conclusion Patients with CIDP could be distinguished from controls on 3D SHINKEI.