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Nasr-Eldin YK, Cartwright MS, Hamed A, Ali LH, Abdel-Nasser AM. Neuromuscular Ultrasound in Polyneuropathies. JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE 2024; 43:1181-1198. [PMID: 38504399 DOI: 10.1002/jum.16447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Neuromuscular ultrasound is a painless, radiation-free, high-resolution imaging technique for assessing the peripheral nervous system. It can accurately depict changes in the nerves and muscles of individuals with neuromuscular conditions, and it is therefore a robust diagnostic tool for the assessment of individuals with polyneuropathies. This review will outline the typical ultrasonographic changes found in a wide variety of polyneuropathies. In general, demyelinating conditions result in greater nerve enlargement than axonal conditions, and acquired conditions result in more patchy nerve enlargement compared to diffuse nerve enlargement in hereditary conditions. This review is data-driven, but more nuanced anecdotal findings are also described. The overall goal of this paper is to provide clinicians with an accessible review of the ultrasonographic approaches and findings in a wide variety of polyneuropathies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michael S Cartwright
- Neurology Department, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ahmed Hamed
- Rheumatology and Rehabilitation Department, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
| | - Lamia Hamdy Ali
- Clinical Pathology Department, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
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Breville G, Sukockiene E, Vargas MI, Lascano AM. Emerging biomarkers to predict clinical outcomes in Guillain-Barré syndrome. Expert Rev Neurother 2023; 23:1201-1215. [PMID: 37902064 DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2023.2273386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an immune-mediated poly(radiculo)neuropathy with a variable clinical outcome. Identifying patients who are at risk of suffering from long-term disabilities is a great challenge. Biomarkers are useful to confirm diagnosis, monitor disease progression, and predict outcome. AREAS COVERED The authors provide an overview of the diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for GBS, which are useful for establishing early treatment strategies and follow-up care plans. EXPERT OPINION Detecting patients at risk of developing a severe outcome may improve management of disease progression and limit potential complications. Several clinical factors are associated with poor prognosis: higher age, presence of diarrhea within 4 weeks of symptom onset, rapid and severe weakness progression, dysautonomia, decreased vital capacity and facial, bulbar, and neck weakness. Biological, neurophysiological and imaging measures of unfavorable outcome include multiple anti-ganglioside antibodies elevation, increased serum and CSF neurofilaments light (NfL) and heavy chain, decreased NfL CSF/serum ratio, hypoalbuminemia, nerve conduction study with early signs of demyelination or axonal loss and enlargement of nerve cross-sectional area on ultrasound. Depicting prognostic biomarkers aims at predicting short-term mortality and need for cardio-pulmonary support, long-term patient functional outcome, guiding treatment decisions and monitoring therapeutic responses in future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gautier Breville
- Neurology Division, Neuroscience Department, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Egle Sukockiene
- Neurology Division, Neuroscience Department, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Maria Isabel Vargas
- Neuroradiology Division, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Agustina M Lascano
- Neurology Division, Neuroscience Department, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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Hildebrand A, Schreiber F, Weber L, Arndt P, Garz C, Petri S, Prudlo J, Meuth SG, Waerzeggers Y, Henneicke S, Vielhaber S, Schreiber S. Peripheral Nerve Ultrasound for the Differentiation between ALS, Inflammatory, and Hereditary Polyneuropathies. MEDICINA (KAUNAS, LITHUANIA) 2023; 59:1192. [PMID: 37512004 PMCID: PMC10383275 DOI: 10.3390/medicina59071192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Background and Objectives: Ultrasound (US) is a non-invasive tool for the in vivo detection of peripheral nerve alterations. Materials and Methods: In this study, we applied nerve US to assist the discrimination between the spectrum of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, n = 11), chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP, n = 5), and genetically confirmed Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMT, n = 5). All participants and n = 15 controls without neurological diseases underwent high-resolution US of the bilateral tibial nerve. The nerve cross-sectional area (CSA) and nerve microvascular blood flow were compared between the groups and related to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measures, clinical symptoms, and nerve conduction studies. The analyses are part of a larger multimodal study on the comparison between US and 7 Tesla (7T) magnetic resonance neurography (MRN). Results: The patients and controls were matched with respect to their demographical data. CMT had the longest disease duration, followed by CIDP and ALS. CSA was related to age, weight, and disease duration. CSA was larger in CMT and CIDP compared to ALS and controls. The blood flow was greatest in CIDP, and higher than in CMT, ALS, and controls. In ALS, greater CSA was correlated with greater CSF total protein and higher albumin quotient. The US measures did not correlate with clinical scores or nerve conduction studies in any of the subgroups. Conclusion: Our results point towards the feasibility of CSA and blood flow to discriminate between ALS, CIDP, and CMT, even in groups of small sample size. In ALS, larger CSA could indicate an inflammatory disease subtype characterized by reduced blood-nerve barrier integrity. Our upcoming analysis will focus on the additive value of 7T MRN in combination with US to disentangle the spectrum between more inflammatory or more degenerative disease variants among the disease groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annkatrin Hildebrand
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Frank Schreiber
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Luisa Weber
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Saarland University Medical Center, 66421 Homburg, Germany
| | - Philipp Arndt
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Cornelia Garz
- Leibniz Institute for Neurobiology (LIN), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Petri
- Department of Neurology, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Johannes Prudlo
- Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, 18147 Rostock, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Sven G Meuth
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Yannic Waerzeggers
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Solveig Henneicke
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Vielhaber
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Stefanie Schreiber
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioral Brain Sciences (CBBS), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, Germany
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High-Resolution Nerve Ultrasound Abnormalities in POEMS Syndrome-A Comparative Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11020264. [PMID: 33572067 PMCID: PMC7915164 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11020264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: High-resolution nerve ultrasound (HRUS) has been proven to be a valuable tool in the diagnosis of immune-mediated neuropathies, such as chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP). POEMS syndrome (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M-protein, skin changes) is an important differential diagnosis of CIDP. Until now, there have been no studies that could identify specific HRUS abnormalities in POEMS syndrome patients. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess possible changes and compare findings with CIDP patients. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed HRUS findings in three POEMS syndrome and ten CIDP patients by evaluating cross-sectional nerve area (CSA), echogenicity and additionally calculating ultrasound pattern scores (UPSA, UPSB, UPSC and UPSS) and homogeneity scores (HS). Results: CIDP patients showed greater CSA enlargement and higher UPSS (median 14 vs. 11), UPSA (median 11.5 vs. 8) and HS (median 5 vs. 3) compared with POEMS syndrome patients. However, every POEMS syndrome patient illustrated enlarged nerves exceeding reference values, which were not restricted to entrapment sites. In CIDP and POEMS syndrome, heterogeneous enlargement patterns could be identified, such as inhomogeneous, homogeneous and regional nerve enlargement. HRUS in CIDP patients visualized both increased and decreased echointensity, while POEMS syndrome patients pictured hypoechoic nerves with hyperechoic intraneural connective tissue. Discussion: This is the first study to demonstrate HRUS abnormalities in POEMS syndrome outside of common entrapment sites. Although nerve enlargement was more prominent in CIDP, POEMS syndrome patients revealed distinct echogenicity patterns, which might aid in its differentiation from CIDP. Future studies should consider HRUS and its possible role in determining diagnosis, prognosis and treatment response in POEMS syndrome.
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Nerve Ultrasound as Helpful Tool in Polyneuropathies. Diagnostics (Basel) 2021; 11:diagnostics11020211. [PMID: 33572591 PMCID: PMC7910962 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics11020211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Revised: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Polyneuropathies (PNP) are a broad field of diseases affecting millions of people. While the symptoms presented are mostly similar, underlying causes are abundant. Thus, early identification of treatable causes is often difficult. Besides clinical data and basic laboratory findings, nerve conduction studies are crucial for etiological classification, yet limited. Besides Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), high-resolution nerve ultrasound (HRUS) has become a noninvasive, fast, economic and available tool to help distinguish different types of nerve alterations in neuropathies. Methods: We aim to describe typical ultrasound findings in PNP and patterns of morphological changes in hereditary, immune-mediated, diabetic, metabolic and neurodegenerative PNP. Literature research was performed in PubMed using the terms ‘nerve ultrasound’, neuromuscular ultrasound, high-resolution nerve ultrasound, peripheral nerves, nerve enlargement, demyelinating, hereditary, polyneuropathies, hypertrophy’. Results: Plenty of studies over the past 20 years investigated the value of nerve ultrasound in different neuropathies. Next to nerve enlargement, patterns of nerve enlargement, echointensity, vascularization and elastography have been evaluated for diagnostic terms. Furthermore, different scores have been developed to distinguish different etiologies of PNP. Conclusions: Where morphological alterations of the nerves reflect underlying pathologies, early nerve ultrasound might enable a timely start of available treatment and also facilitate follow up of therapy success.
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Dörner M, Schreiber F, Stephanik H, Tempelmann C, Winter N, Stahl JH, Wittlinger J, Willikens S, Kramer M, Heinze HJ, Vielhaber S, Schelle T, Grimm A, Schreiber S. Peripheral Nerve Imaging Aids in the Diagnosis of Immune-Mediated Neuropathies-A Case Series. Diagnostics (Basel) 2020; 10:diagnostics10080535. [PMID: 32751486 PMCID: PMC7459443 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics10080535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Diagnosis of immune-mediated neuropathies and their differentiation from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) can be challenging, especially at early disease stages. Accurate diagnosis is, however, important due to the different prognosis and available treatment options. We present one patient with a left-sided dorsal flexor paresis and initial suspicion of ALS and another with multifocal sensory deficits. In both, peripheral nerve imaging was the key for diagnosis. Methods: We performed high-resolution nerve ultrasound (HRUS) and 7T or 3T magnetic resonance neurography (MRN). Results: In both patients, HRUS revealed mild to severe, segmental or inhomogeneous, nerve enlargement at multiple sites, as well as an area increase of isolated fascicles. MRN depicted T2 hyperintense nerves with additional contrast-enhancement. Discussion: Peripheral nerve imaging was compatible with the respective diagnosis of an immune-mediated neuropathy, i.e., multifocal motor neuropathy (MMN) in patient 1 and multifocal acquired demyelinating sensory and motor neuropathy (MADSAM) in patient 2. Peripheral nerve imaging, especially HRUS, should play an important role in the diagnostic work-up for immune-mediated neuropathies and their differentiation from ALS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Dörner
- Center for Neurology, Tuebingen University Hospital and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (N.W.); (J.-H.S.); (J.W.); (S.W.); (M.K.); (A.G.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-0707-1298-2141
| | - Frank Schreiber
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; (F.S.); (H.S.); (C.T.); (H.-J.H.); (S.V.); (S.S.)
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) within the Helmholtz Association, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Heike Stephanik
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; (F.S.); (H.S.); (C.T.); (H.-J.H.); (S.V.); (S.S.)
| | - Claus Tempelmann
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; (F.S.); (H.S.); (C.T.); (H.-J.H.); (S.V.); (S.S.)
| | - Natalie Winter
- Center for Neurology, Tuebingen University Hospital and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (N.W.); (J.-H.S.); (J.W.); (S.W.); (M.K.); (A.G.)
| | - Jan-Hendrik Stahl
- Center for Neurology, Tuebingen University Hospital and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (N.W.); (J.-H.S.); (J.W.); (S.W.); (M.K.); (A.G.)
| | - Julia Wittlinger
- Center for Neurology, Tuebingen University Hospital and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (N.W.); (J.-H.S.); (J.W.); (S.W.); (M.K.); (A.G.)
| | - Sophia Willikens
- Center for Neurology, Tuebingen University Hospital and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (N.W.); (J.-H.S.); (J.W.); (S.W.); (M.K.); (A.G.)
| | - Magdalena Kramer
- Center for Neurology, Tuebingen University Hospital and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (N.W.); (J.-H.S.); (J.W.); (S.W.); (M.K.); (A.G.)
| | - Hans-Jochen Heinze
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; (F.S.); (H.S.); (C.T.); (H.-J.H.); (S.V.); (S.S.)
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) within the Helmholtz Association, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioural Brain Sciences (CBBS), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- Leibniz Institue for Neurobiology (LIN), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Vielhaber
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; (F.S.); (H.S.); (C.T.); (H.-J.H.); (S.V.); (S.S.)
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) within the Helmholtz Association, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioural Brain Sciences (CBBS), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Thomas Schelle
- Department of Neurology, Städtisches Klinikum Dessau, 06847 Dessau, Germany;
| | - Alexander Grimm
- Center for Neurology, Tuebingen University Hospital and Hertie-Institute for Clinical Brain Research, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany; (N.W.); (J.-H.S.); (J.W.); (S.W.); (M.K.); (A.G.)
| | - Stefanie Schreiber
- Department of Neurology, Otto-von-Guericke University, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany; (F.S.); (H.S.); (C.T.); (H.-J.H.); (S.V.); (S.S.)
- German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) within the Helmholtz Association, 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
- Center for Behavioural Brain Sciences (CBBS), 39120 Magdeburg, Germany
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