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The role of magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnostic work-out of myopathies: differential diagnosis between inflammatory myopathies and muscular dystrophies

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

 

  1. Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy. simone.barsotti.pisa@gmail.com
  2. Radiology Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy.
  3. Radiology Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy.
  4. Neurological Clinic, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
  5. Unit of Environmental Epidemiology and Disease Registries, Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council, Pisa, Italy.
  6. Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
  7. Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, and Department of Medical Biotechnology, University of Siena, Italy.
  8. Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
  9. Radiology Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy.
  10. Neurological Clinic, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
  11. Radiology Unit, Department of Translational Research and New Technologies in Medicine and Surgery, University of Pisa, Italy.
  12. Neurological Clinic, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.
  13. Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, Italy.

CER16102
2023 Vol.41, N°2
PI 0301, PF 0308
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PMID: 36826782 [PubMed]

Received: 31/07/2022
Accepted : 16/01/2023
In Press: 17/02/2023
Published: 01/03/2023

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
The differential diagnosis between idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) and muscular dystrophies (MD) may be challenging. We analysed the potential role of muscular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the differential diagnosis between IIM and MD.
METHODS:
MRI of patients (91 IIM and 43 MD), studied with a standardised protocol, have been collected. The presence of oedema, muscular atrophy and intramuscular adipose changes were evaluated. Moreover, we computed a composite score for each MRI item to better discriminate between the two diseases.
RESULTS:
Oedema was significantly more prevalent in IIM compared with MD in pelvis muscles (p<0.001), anterior lodge and medial lodges (p=0.044) of the thighs. Adipose infiltration/substitution and muscular atrophy were more prevalent in MD, in particular adipose tissue was prevalent in all the compartments of the thighs (p<0.05), atrophy was prevalent at the thighs and pelvis muscles (p<0.001). The probability of IIM increased with higher oedema score and decreased with higher atrophy and intramuscular adipose infiltration/substitution scores.
CONCLUSIONS:
A different distribution of muscular involvement between IIM and MD has been identified. Muscular MRI may be useful in the differential diagnosis, potentially reducing the number of muscular biopsies that may be reserved only for doubtful cases.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.55563/clinexprheumatol/dkmz6o

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