Abstract
To investigate changes in tissue hydration and structural changes in diabetic patients using an MRI scanner (SIGNA 1.5-Tesla) with an extremity coil, spin-lattice relaxation time (T1 value), cross-sectional area, and coefficient of variation (CV value) of signal intensities of the sural nerve, respectively, were determined as indexes of nerve edema, nerve swelling or shrinkage and structural change, and were calculated in normal subjects (normal group, n=7) and diabetic patients (diabetic group, n=33). T1 value of the sural nerve, but not muscle or adipose tissue, was significantly prolonged in diabetic group (1000±273 vs 702±324 msec, P<0.01), indicating the prescnce of nerve edema in the diabetic group. There were no differences in cross-sectional area. CV values were significantly higher in the diabetic group (P<0.05). T1 values were positively correlated with glycemic control (fasting plasma glucose; r=40, HbA1c; r=0.35)(P<0.05) and negatively correlated with motor nerve conduction velocity (r=-0.42, P<0.01). These findings indicate that MRI is of value in the objective evaluation of structural changes in diabetic neuropathy.
