[Initial clinical experience with the use of 31P MR spectroscopy in the examination of children with neuromuscular diseases].

31P MR spectroscopy (MRS) was used to investigate neuromuscular diseases of different origin in 35 patients, mostly children. After elaboration of the procedure of MR examination and evaluation of results the method of pattern recognition analysis was used. According to the results of 31P MR spectroscopy patients can be divided into three groups. Group A comprises patients with severe muscular lesions such as Duchenne dystrophy. The second group B is characterized by milder atrophic changes of muscle fibres. The third group comprises obscure cases. The 31P MRS method was also used for investigating the development of the disease in time--a drop of parameter PCR/Pi corresponds to a deterioration of the clinical condition of patients from group one. Maintenance of approximately the same values was observed in group B. An increase of PCR/Pi was also observed during administration of Prednisone in patients with child polymyositis.