Skeletal Muscle Edema in Muscular Dystrophy: Clinical and Diagnostic Implications

Muscle degeneration in muscular dystrophies often includes a period of edema before fatty replacement of muscle tissue. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used successfully to characterize muscle and fat patterns in several types of muscular dystrophies. Recent MRI techniques enable characterization of edema in tissues. This article reviews the advantages of using MRI assessment of edema and fat in muscle tissue to evaluate disease progression, and discusses inflammation and sarcolemma compromise as sources of edema in muscular dystrophy. Lastly, refining current techniques and adapting other MRI capabilities may enhance detection and assessment of edema for better evaluation of disease progression and treatment outcomes.