Tomographic evaluation of size and X-ray density of normal and denervated human muscles

Neuromuscular disease will lead to size changes, degeneration or destruction of muscle fibres. However, fat or connective tissue infiltration occurs and this prevents the use of simple measures to assess wasting. Computerized tomography will allow accurate assessment of this wasting. Five normal subjects and five patients with total traumatic denervation of radial or peroneal origin were examined. Denervated muscle was shown to have lower than normal cross-section and X-ray density. These reductions were not paralleled in circumference or limb volume. Recovery could be followed by tomography.