Peripheral nerve ultrasound in cerebellar ataxia neuropathy vestibular areflexia syndrome (CANVAS). Issue 1 (28th November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pelosi, Luciana; Leadbetter, Ruth; Mulroy, Eoin; Chancellor, Andrew M.; Mossman, Stuart; Roxburgh, Richard
• Is Part Of: Muscle & nerve. Volume 56:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 160
• Page End: 162
• Publication Date: 2016-11-28
• Subjects: CANVAS -- cross‐sectional area -- ganglionopathy -- nerve ultrasound -- peripheral nerves -- sensory neuropathy; Neuromuscular diseases -- Periodicals; Muscles -- Periodicals; Nerves -- Periodicals; 616.74
• DOI: 10.1002/mus.25476
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0148-639X

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Introduction: We report preliminary findings of nerve ultrasound in patients with cerebellar ataxia neuropathy vestibular areflexia syndrome (C ANVAS) who have sensory impairment due to dorsal root ganglionopathy. Methods: The ultrasound cross‐sectional area (CSA) of median and ulnar nerves of 7 CANVAS patients was compared with 7 age‐ and gender‐matched controls and with the mean CSA of our reference population. Results: The nerve CSA of CANVAS patients was significantly smaller than that of controls at all sites ( P < 0.01). All but 1 individual measurement of CSA at the mid‐forearm level in the CANVAS patients fell outside the normal control range and was >2 standard deviations below the reference mean. Conclusions: The small nerves in CANVAS probably reflect nerve thinning from axonal loss secondary to ganglion cell loss. Our data show a role for ultrasound in the diagnosis of CANVAS ganglionopathy. This may also be applicable to ganglionopathy from other causes. Muscle Nerve 56 : 160–162, 2017.