Clinical and imaging findings in three patients with advanced inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy associated with nerve root hypertrophy.

OBJECTIVES: Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy is a treatable neuropathy that is challenging to diagnose and has a broad spectrum of presentations. We report the clinical, electrodiagnostic, and radiographic presentations in three patients whose workup revealed hypertrophic nerve roots.
METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the clinical, electrodiagnostic, and imaging data for patients diagnosed with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy over a 3-year period.
RESULTS: All patients had features of proximal and distal neuropathy with progressive or recurrent courses. Diagnosis and management were significantly altered by the concomitant clinical findings and/or radiographic findings.
CONCLUSIONS: Our cases highlight the use of magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate for nerve root hypertrophy as an additional tool to electrodiagnostic testing in the setting of refractory or atypical neuropathy condition. Awareness of the radiographic features will assist in confirmation of the diagnosis, institution of the appropriate therapy, and prevention of inadequate or delay of treatment.