Human leg neuromuscular diseases: P-31 MR spectroscopy.

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Abstract
Phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance (MR) spectra of leg muscles in patients with the neuromuscular diseases Duchenne dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy postpoliomyelitis, Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, and pedal dystonia were recorded. Ratios of .beta.-adenosine triphosphate (ATP), inorganic phosphate (Pi), .alpha.-glycerophosphorylcholine (GPC), and phosphomonoesters to phosphocreatine (PCr) were calculated from peak integrals and compared with normal muscle ratios. In all diseases studied, .beta.-ATP/PCr and Pi/PCr values showed an increase from normal values. The extent of increase in .beta.-ATP/PCr was related to the clinical severity of the disease, suggesting that this could be a useful noninvasive means of monitoring effectiveness of therapy for neuromuscular disorders. In myotonic dystrophy and Werdnig-Hoffmann disease, GPC/PCr values increased greatly. The intracellular pH in Duchenne and postpoliomyelitis muscles was slightly elevated compared with that in normal muscles. Hydrogen-1 MR images of muscles showed fat infiltration in all patients, more in weaker muscles and less in stronger muscles.