Enhancing cranial nerves and cauda equina: an emerging magnetic resonance imaging pattern in metachromatic leukodystrophy and krabbe disease.

[krabbe disease]

We report on three cases of infantile Krabbe disease and one case of infantile metachromatic leukodystrophy showing magnetic resonance (MR ) imaging findings of diffuse and coexistent cranial nerve and cauda equina nerve roots enhancement . Such findings may be simultaneous , or even precede , typical white matter abnormalities and , in the appropriate clinical context , may facilitate an earlier diagnosis . There is a rational for the use of contrast agents and craniospinal MR imaging during the first imaging of children with a history of psychomotor regression and clinical evidence of peripheral nerve involvement to exclude differential diagnoses .