In the post-treatment setting following surgical nerve repair, brachial plexus MRI can be used to study the repaired nerve, assess for complications, and assess for secondary signs of neuropathy, such as degenerative muscular atrophy [72]. MRI with IV contrast usually does not provide significant additional information over MRI without IV contrast for the initial imaging of traumatic brachial plexopathy, though the addition of contrast can help differentiate between vascular structures and nerves. Plexopathy IV contrast usually does not provide significant additional information over MRI without IV contrast for the initial imaging of traumatic brachial plexopathy. Another cause of indirect traumatic injury to the lumbosacral plexus is avulsion fractures at muscular attachment sites, which can cause traumatic edema, hematoma, or inflammation that compresses the adjacent nerve [8]. This can be seen with avulsions of the hamstrings at the ischial tuberosity (injuring sciatic or pudendal nerve), adductor muscles at the inferior pubic symphysis (injuring obturator nerve), or gluteal muscles at the greater trochanter (injuring superior or inferior gluteal nerves) [8]. Similar to avulsion fractures, tendinopathy of the major muscular attachments can also result in local soft-tissue swelling and inflammation that can involve adjacent nerves [3,8]. Iatrogenic injury to the lumbosacral plexus or terminal branches can also occur after childbirth or surgery, such as total hip arthroplasty, gynecologic, or genitourinary surgery [2]. CT Myelography Lumbar Spine CT myelography provides high-resolution imaging of the thecal sac capable of detecting traumatic nerve root avulsion or pseudomeningocele. However, CT myelography can only evaluate for preganglionic nerve root injury and does not directly visualize the postganglionic lumbosacral plexus. Therefore, MRI lumbosacral plexus is superior to CT myelography lumbar spine in the evaluation of postganglionic lumbosacral plexus injury.
Plexopathy. In the post-treatment setting following surgical nerve repair, brachial plexus MRI can be used to study the repaired nerve, assess for complications, and assess for secondary signs of neuropathy, such as degenerative muscular atrophy [72]. MRI with IV contrast usually does not provide significant additional information over MRI without IV contrast for the initial imaging of traumatic brachial plexopathy, though the addition of contrast can help differentiate between vascular structures and nerves. Plexopathy IV contrast usually does not provide significant additional information over MRI without IV contrast for the initial imaging of traumatic brachial plexopathy. Another cause of indirect traumatic injury to the lumbosacral plexus is avulsion fractures at muscular attachment sites, which can cause traumatic edema, hematoma, or inflammation that compresses the adjacent nerve [8]. This can be seen with avulsions of the hamstrings at the ischial tuberosity (injuring sciatic or pudendal nerve), adductor muscles at the inferior pubic symphysis (injuring obturator nerve), or gluteal muscles at the greater trochanter (injuring superior or inferior gluteal nerves) [8]. Similar to avulsion fractures, tendinopathy of the major muscular attachments can also result in local soft-tissue swelling and inflammation that can involve adjacent nerves [3,8]. Iatrogenic injury to the lumbosacral plexus or terminal branches can also occur after childbirth or surgery, such as total hip arthroplasty, gynecologic, or genitourinary surgery [2]. CT Myelography Lumbar Spine CT myelography provides high-resolution imaging of the thecal sac capable of detecting traumatic nerve root avulsion or pseudomeningocele. However, CT myelography can only evaluate for preganglionic nerve root injury and does not directly visualize the postganglionic lumbosacral plexus. Therefore, MRI lumbosacral plexus is superior to CT myelography lumbar spine in the evaluation of postganglionic lumbosacral plexus injury.