Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Chronic Spinal Cord Compression
Published on: May 7, 2019
Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging is useful for assessing inflammatory myopathies
Marie Faruch1, Ana Isabel Garcia2, Montse Del Amo2
1Radiology Department, CHU Toulouse Purpan, Place du docteur Baylac, 31059, Toulouse, France.
Introduction:
Short tau inversion recovery (STIR) sequences in whole-body MRI are usually used for detecting muscle edema (ME) in inflammatory myopathies. We evaluated b-value 800 diffusion-weighted imaging (b800 DWI).
Methods:
Two radiologists independently and a consensus reader retrospectively reexamined 60 patients with inflammatory myopathies and 15 controls. For each participant, 78 muscles were analyzed with 3 sets of imaging acquisitions: T1-weighted (T1) turbo spin echo and STIR; T1 and DWI; and T1, STIR and DWI. Mean edema per patient was compared between sequences. Agreement was evaluated.
Results:
Diffusion-weighted imaging detected more ME compared with STIR (P < 0.001). Agreement between readers was better with both sequences (k = 0.94) than with b800 DWI (k = 0.89) or STIR (k = 0.84) alone.
Discussion:
Diffusion-weighted imaging is a valuable add-on for the study of inflammatory myopathies. Muscle Nerve 59:555-555, 2019.
Related Concept Videos
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Imaging Studies IV: Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Assessment of Diffusion and Perfusion
The Role of Diffusion in Respiration
Diffusion is the process by which molecules move from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration. In the respiratory system, this...
Atomic Nuclei: Magnetic Resonance
Diffusion
Diffusion

