FECAL ATROPHY OF THE MULTIFIDUS MUSCLE IN LUMBOSACRAL RADICULOPATHY

A patient with compelling clinical and electrodiagnostic evidence of a right L5 radiculopathy had focal atrophy of the multifidus at the app ropriate level, which served to confirm the radicular nature of the pr ocess. The multifidus muscles are innervated by a single root, in cont rast to the polysegmental innervation of the rest of the paraspinal mu scle mass. Imaging studies may complement needle electromyography in t he evaluation of this important structure. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.