Post-irradiation lesions of the caudal roots

The article reports on 3 patients suffering from muscular atrophy after radiotherapy of the para-aortal lymph nodes for malignant testicular tumor without any sensory, bladder, or bowel disturbances. By neurophysiological examination, a lesion of the lumbal plexus and the peripheral nerves of the lower extremities were excluded. On EMG-examination there were no giant motor unit potentials, as they can be found in anterior horn cell lesions. Though there were no sensory deficits, a distinct prolongation of latencies and reduction of amplitudes could be found for lumbar dermatomal somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) and those after stimulation of some peripheral nerves of the lower extremities.