3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging in children with brachial plexus birth injury

Brachial plexus birth injuries in children are usually diagnosed using 1.5-T magnetic resonance imaging, while the application of high-field magnetic resonance imaging is rarely reported. Therefore, a retrospective comparison of 18 cases of children with brachial plexus injury was performed to investigate the characteristics of 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging and intraoperative observations. Magnetic resonance examinations in 18 cases of children showed that pseudo-meningocele sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positivity rates were 83.3%, 79.6%, 81.1%, and 40.0%, respectively. As for the neuroma and fibrous scar encapsulation, the sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positivity rates were 92.9%, 50.0%, 83.3%, and 77.8%, respectively. These results confirm that 3.0-T high-field magnetic resonance imaging can clearly reveal abnormal changes in brachial plexus injury, in which pseudo-meningocele, fibrous scar encapsulation, and neuroma are the characteristic changes of obstetric brachial plexus preganglionic and postganglionic nerve injury.