Comparison of clinical, electrophysiological, sonographic and MRI features in CIDP

We investigated the applicability of nerve ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).

We systematically examined several nerves with ultrasound and the lumbar roots and tibial nerve in the popliteal fossa of nine CIDP patients with MRI additionally to the nerve conduction studies.

Patients with overall disability sum score (ODSS) 2-3 were characterised by normal fascicular structure in MRI and ultrasound. Patients with higher ODSS showed isolated enlarged fascicles and increased cross sectional area (CSA) of the peripheral nerves and of the diameter of the cauda equina and L5 root, whereas two of them showed atrophic fascicles in both imaging techniques.

Nerve ultrasound and MRI findings show the same morphological fascicle alterations in peripheral nerves in correlation to ODSS. Nerve ultrasound as an affordable tool, easy and quick to perform, could replace MRI in daily routine for monitoring peripheral nerve morphology.