Unexpected neuroimaging abnormalities in patients with apparent C8 radiculopathy: broadening the clinical spectrum. Muscle Nerve 2012 Jun;45(6):859-65
Date
05/15/2012Pubmed ID
22581540DOI
10.1002/mus.23319Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84860909928 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 9 CitationsAbstract
INTRODUCTION: C8-root impingement by C7/T1 lesions on neuroimaging studies is not consistently observed in C8 radiculopathy. We hypothesized that C7 or T1 root lesions (with a pre- or postfixed plexus) or cervical myelopathy might explain some "C8 radiculopathies" without C8 root compression.
METHODS: Retrospective analysis of cervical neuroimaging in 31 consecutive patients with EMG-confirmed C8 radiculopathy.
RESULTS: Five patients (16%) had C8-root compression at C7/T1. Of those without C8-root compression, 5 (16%) had C7-root compression at C6/7, one (3%) had T1-root compression at T1/T2, 7 (23%) had cervical cord compression at or above the C6/7 level, 4 (13%) had intramedullary cervical lesions, and 9 (29%) had mild or nonspecific findings.
CONCLUSIONS: C8 radiculopathy without C8-root compression may be due to C7-root compression in the setting of a "prefixed" brachial plexus, upper cervical cord compression with vascular compromise of the distal cervical spinal cord ("myelopathic hand"), or intramedullary cervical cord lesions.
Author List
Hehir MK, Figueroa JJ, Zynda-Weiss AM, Stanton M, Logigian ELAuthor
Juan Jose Figueroa MD Assistant Professor in the Neurology department at Medical College of WisconsinMESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AdultCervical Vertebrae
Cohort Studies
Electrodiagnosis
Electromyography
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Myelography
Neuroimaging
Radiculopathy
Retrospective Studies
Thoracic Vertebrae
