Most frequent brain lesions inducing locomotion disorders:
Localised lesions: ischemia - infraction, hemorrhage, tumors axial and extraaxial
Disseminatd lesion: metastatic tumors, demyalinisation processes
Imaging:
Plain CT, event, after intravenous administration of iodinated contrast agent
Plain MRI in T1 and T2 weigted images
- in primary and secondary tumors with additional contrast enhancement (Gd as paramagnetic contrast agent)
- in demyelinization mainly T2 weigted images (hyperintense lesions), FLAIR sequence
Angiography in subarachnoidal bleeding (aneurysms), event. in tumors (possibly CT-angiography with contrast administration, or MR-angiography without contrast administration).
Vertebral lesions (trauma, tumor, inflammation, herniation or sequestration), inducing spinal cord or nerve roots lesions.
Imaging:
Plain radiography with standart views for differenciation between stable and instable lesions, CT in bony or soft-tissue window
Spinal cord can be affected by an extradural or intramedullar process, event.transsected.
Imaging:
CT for differentiation between an extradural and intradural lesion, event. myelography or radiculography. In intramedullary processes MRI is essential.
Spinal angiography is indicated in spinal angiomatous malformations.
Nerve roots can be touched in avulsion trauma or in degenerative stenotic lesions of neural foramina, event. in nerve root tumors.
Imaging:
CT-myelography, MRI
Muscles: mostly degenerative, inflammatory, tumorl or traumatic lesions
Imaging:
Ultrasonography as first choise examination, followed by MRI, event. CT (plain and contrast-enhanced).
Ligaments and tendons - mostly trauma - sprains, degenerative lesions, peritendinitis
Imaging:
Stress X-ray views, ultrasonohraphy, MRI
Bones: Fractures, deformations (shortening, bowing), dysplasias
Imaging:
Radiography, plain CT
Joints: trauma- dislokation, arthritis, egeneration, laxity, ankylosis
Imaging:
Radiography, arthrography, ultrasonography (effusion,hematoma), CT,MRI
Overview of different radiological imaging techniques employed in locomotion disorders of central and peripheral origin.