Relationship between electrodiagnostics, MRI findings and clinical picture in lumbar canal stenosis

To study the relationship between the electrodiagnostic and the MRI findings of the lumbar spine and to correlate them to the clinical features in patients with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis [LSS]. Fifty-six patients diagnosed as having LSS, on the basis of typical clinical features and compatible MRI findings, were included in this study. In addition to history and examination, patients were assessed for disease severity using the maximal walking distance and the visual analogue scale. MRI parameters of lumbar spinal stenosis were assessed. Needle electromyography of the paraspinal muscles and nerve conduction studies including F-wave and H-reflex were performed. Patients were 33 males and 23 females. The body mass index statistically significantly correlated with the patient scores on the visual analogue scale. No significant relation could be detected between age, sex, duration of disease and disease severity. Both of the smallest and the smallest two anteroposterior spinal canal diameters showed no statistical significant correlation with the disease severity. The fibrillations in electromyographic testing statistically highly significantly [p<0.001] negatively correlated with the maximal walking distance and positively correlated with the patient scores on the visual analogue scale. It also statistically highly significantly correlated with the age. MRI findings are related to the diagnosis but not to severity ot the clinical lumbar spinal stenosis. Electrophysiologic studies especially paraspinal muscles denervation potentials seem to be a more sensitive criterion in assessing the severity of symptoms in patients with LSS

Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain in systemic lupus erythematosus

To evaluate the brain magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] findings in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus [SLE]. Thirty female SLE patients were included in this study. Their age ranged from 19 to 60 years. All patients were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, laboratory investigations, disease activity assessment using SLE Disease Activity Index [SLEDAI], assessment of SLE-related disease damage according to the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics [SLICC] damage index and MRI study. Out of the 30 SLE patients, thirteen [43.33%] had neuropsychiatric [NP] manifestations, and twelve [40%] had Abnormal MRI findings. Eight of the 13 patients with NP [61.54%] manifestations had abnormal MRI findings. The SLE patients with NP manifestations had statistically significant [p<0.05] higher frequency of the abnormal MRI findings than the SLE patients without NP manifestations. The patients with abnormal MRI findings had statistically significant [p<0.05] higher SLICC damage score than the patients with normal MRI. There were statistically nonsignificant [p>0.05] differences between the patients with abnormal MRI findings and the patients with normal MRI regarding the age, disease duration, SLEDAI, C3, C4, anti-ds-DNA antibodies, use of glucocorticoids ever or current use and the prednisolone dose at the study. Our results suggest that MRI has an important role in the management of SLE patients