Animated at Right:
Distal Femoral Branch Tumor Seen in Survey Image.
The image at left is from a 28-year-old
man who developed hand pain and numbness. Because
of the area of the hand that was affected, his doctors
assumed that he had an entrapment of the ulnar nerve
at the elbow and proceeded to do an elaborate surgery
on the nerve. Only when the surgery failed completely
to affect the problem did they consider imaging of
the region to see what the cause was.
In the past, doctors have always
imaged an area before doing surgery unless the problem
involved nerves. Now that MR Neurography is available
and effective, it is important for patients and doctors
to understand that imaging should be employed for
nerve problems just like other medical problems treated
by surgery.
In this case, the imaging revealed
a nerve tumor abour 1.5 centimeters in diameter that
was easily removed solving the problem. He suffered
no harm from his unnecessary nerve release surgery.
Operating before imaging is no longer appropriate
in the management of nerve conditions.
Imaging revealed an 1.3 centimeter
mass within the ulnar nerve in the upper arm. The
tumor spreads the fibers of the nerve.
MR Neurography was invented and
developed by Dr. Aaron Filler of the Institute for
Nerve Medicine. Imaging is an essential part of diagnostic
evaluations at the INM.
There are many diagnoses and
treatments of nerve tumors. Please click on any of
the links below to learn more about individualized
cases from the files of Dr. Filler.
