Diagnosis of schistosomiasis of the spinal cord: contribution of magnetic resonance imaging and electroneuromyography

Diagnosis of schistosomiasis of the spinal cord: contribution of magnetic resonance imaging and electroneuromyography

Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria, September 2002

12244398

Alberto Jorge Pereira Peregrino, Paula Marzorat Kuntz Puglia, Luiz Alberto Bacheschi, Maria Tereza Alves Hirata, Mario Wilson Iervolino Brotto, José Paulo Smith Nóbrega, Milberto Scaff

To analyze the usefulness of magnetic resonance imaging MRI and electroneuromyography (ENMG) in the diagnosis of schistosomiasis of the spinal cord (SSC). 18 MRI of the thoracolumbar spine and 24 ENMG of the upper and lower limbs were carried out on patients with a definite diagnosis of SSC in the clinical forms of myeloradiculitis or thoracic transverse myelitis. Of the 18 MRI carried out, 16 (88.8%) showed abnormalities on T1 and T2 weighted images and heterogenous pattern of enhancement with contrast material injection. Of the 24 ENMG, 23 (95.8%) showed a feature of bilateral multiradiculopathy of roots L2, L3, L4, L5, S1, S2, asymmetric in 10 cases (41.6%), characterized by signs of denervation in the lumbar paraspinal musculature and long duration polyphasic potentials in increased proportion, as well decrease of the recruitment of motor units. In spite of the non-specificity of both exams, the MRI and the ENMG showed to be useful for the diagnosis of SSC, by revealing abnormalities that repeated in 88.8% and 95.8% of the cases, respectively.