MRI in the investigation of morton's neuroma: Which sequences?

• Published in: Clinical radiology Vol. 52; no. 1; pp. 46 - 49
• Main Authors: Williams, J.W., Meaney, J., Whitehouse, G.H., Klenerman, L., Hussein, Z.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ltd 1997; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Contrast Media; Foot Diseases - diagnosis; Gadolinium DTPA; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Medical sciences; Neurology; Neuroma - diagnosis; Organometallic Compounds; Pentetic Acid - analogs & derivatives; Prospective Studies; Tumors of the nervous system. Phacomatoses; Human; Evaluation; Nervous system diseases; Paramagnetic contrast agent; Lower limb; Spin echo; Neuroma; Sequence; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Foot; Benign neoplasm; Diagnosis; Woman
• ISSN: 0009-9260; 1365-229X
• DOI: 10.1016/S0009-9260(97)80305-4

Morton's ‘neuroma’ is a painful focus of peri-neural fibrosis, which may affect the interdigital nerves of the feet. Clinical diagnosis and localization may be inaccurate. Computed tomography (CT), ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been used to confirm the diagnosis pre-operatively. Recently, MRI using T1-weighted sequences with fat saturation after i.v. Gadolinium DTPA has been suggested as the most effective MR sequence for depiction of Morton's neuroma of the forefoot. Our results show that T1-weighted axial and coronal images with an axial FSE T2-weighted sequence detect neuromata more consistently than an enhanced T1 fat suppressed sequence.