Nerve root/cauda equina enhancement

Nerve root enhancement is phenomenon described on post contrast MRI scans that can be observed in a number of situations.

Common causes

• post-operative states
  • post-operative nerve root enhancement
• arachnoiditis
• leptomeningeal metastases
  • disseminated spinal leptomeningeal metastases
• neurolymphomatosis
• HIV vacuolar myelopathy - AIDS-related polyradiculopathy
• demyelinating conditions
  • chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy
  • Guillain-Barré syndrome
• spinal involvement in neurosarcoidosis
• Lyme disease

Uncommon causes

• hereditary motor-sensory neuropathies
  • Charcot-Marie-Tooth syndrome
  • Dejerine-Sottas disease
• Krabbe disease - spinal involvement