Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32029545›Full record

ArticleNeurology2020

Accuracy of a machine learning muscle MRI-based tool for the diagnosis of muscular dystrophies.

José Verdú-Díaz, Jorge Alonso-Pérez, Claudia Nuñez-Peralta, Giorgio Tasca, John Vissing, Volker Straub, Roberto Fernández-Torrón, Jaume Llauger, Isabel Illa, Jordi Díaz-Manera

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In one paragraph

Article in Neurology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 42 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
42citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
2.8field-weighted citation impact, top 9% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

42 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 76 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Guideline
  3. Review
  4. A neuromuscular clinician's primer on machine learning.Journal of neuromuscular diseases · 2026
    Review
  5. Article
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  8. Empowering clinicians with artificial intelligence in hereditary neuromuscular disorders.Acta myologica : myopathies and cardiomyopathies : official journal of the Mediterranean Society of Myology · 2025
    Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Biomarkers in spinal muscular atrophy.Frontiers in neurology · 2025
    Review
  14. Review
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
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  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors at 1 institution in 4 countries.

José Verdú-DíazFrom the Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, Neurology Department (J.V.-D., J.A.-P., I.I., J.D.-M.), and Radiology Department (C.N.-P., J.L.), Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; UOC di Neurologia (G.T.), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology (J.V.), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (V.S., J.D.-M.), University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Hospital Universitario Donostia (R.F.-T.); and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) (I.I., J.D.-M.), Madrid, Spain.
Jorge Alonso-PérezFrom the Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, Neurology Department (J.V.-D., J.A.-P., I.I., J.D.-M.), and Radiology Department (C.N.-P., J.L.), Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; UOC di Neurologia (G.T.), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology (J.V.), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (V.S., J.D.-M.), University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Hospital Universitario Donostia (R.F.-T.); and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) (I.I., J.D.-M.), Madrid, Spain.ORCID 0000-0001-8866-5186
Claudia Nuñez-PeraltaFrom the Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, Neurology Department (J.V.-D., J.A.-P., I.I., J.D.-M.), and Radiology Department (C.N.-P., J.L.), Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; UOC di Neurologia (G.T.), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology (J.V.), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (V.S., J.D.-M.), University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Hospital Universitario Donostia (R.F.-T.); and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) (I.I., J.D.-M.), Madrid, Spain.
Giorgio TascaFrom the Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, Neurology Department (J.V.-D., J.A.-P., I.I., J.D.-M.), and Radiology Department (C.N.-P., J.L.), Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; UOC di Neurologia (G.T.), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology (J.V.), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (V.S., J.D.-M.), University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Hospital Universitario Donostia (R.F.-T.); and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) (I.I., J.D.-M.), Madrid, Spain.
John VissingFrom the Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, Neurology Department (J.V.-D., J.A.-P., I.I., J.D.-M.), and Radiology Department (C.N.-P., J.L.), Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; UOC di Neurologia (G.T.), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology (J.V.), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (V.S., J.D.-M.), University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Hospital Universitario Donostia (R.F.-T.); and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) (I.I., J.D.-M.), Madrid, Spain.
Volker StraubFrom the Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, Neurology Department (J.V.-D., J.A.-P., I.I., J.D.-M.), and Radiology Department (C.N.-P., J.L.), Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; UOC di Neurologia (G.T.), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology (J.V.), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (V.S., J.D.-M.), University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Hospital Universitario Donostia (R.F.-T.); and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) (I.I., J.D.-M.), Madrid, Spain.
Roberto Fernández-TorrónFrom the Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, Neurology Department (J.V.-D., J.A.-P., I.I., J.D.-M.), and Radiology Department (C.N.-P., J.L.), Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; UOC di Neurologia (G.T.), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology (J.V.), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (V.S., J.D.-M.), University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Hospital Universitario Donostia (R.F.-T.); and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) (I.I., J.D.-M.), Madrid, Spain.
Jaume LlaugerFrom the Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, Neurology Department (J.V.-D., J.A.-P., I.I., J.D.-M.), and Radiology Department (C.N.-P., J.L.), Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; UOC di Neurologia (G.T.), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology (J.V.), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (V.S., J.D.-M.), University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Hospital Universitario Donostia (R.F.-T.); and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) (I.I., J.D.-M.), Madrid, Spain.
Isabel IllaFrom the Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, Neurology Department (J.V.-D., J.A.-P., I.I., J.D.-M.), and Radiology Department (C.N.-P., J.L.), Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; UOC di Neurologia (G.T.), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology (J.V.), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (V.S., J.D.-M.), University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Hospital Universitario Donostia (R.F.-T.); and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) (I.I., J.D.-M.), Madrid, Spain.
Jordi Díaz-ManeraFrom the Neuromuscular Disorders Unit, Neurology Department (J.V.-D., J.A.-P., I.I., J.D.-M.), and Radiology Department (C.N.-P., J.L.), Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain; UOC di Neurologia (G.T.), Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Copenhagen Neuromuscular Center, Department of Neurology (J.V.), Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark; John Walton Muscular Dystrophy Research Centre (V.S., J.D.-M.), University of Newcastle, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK; Hospital Universitario Donostia (R.F.-T.); and Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER) (I.I., J.D.-M.), Madrid, Spain. jdiazm@santpau.cat.
University of Copenhagen · DK

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveGenetic diagnosis of muscular dystrophies (MDs) has classically been guided by clinical presentation, muscle biopsy, and muscle MRI data. Muscle MRI suggests diagnosis based on the pattern of muscle fatty replacement. However, patterns overlap between different disorders and knowledge about disease-specific patterns is limited. Our aim was to develop a software-based tool that can recognize muscle MRI patterns and thus aid diagnosis of MDs.

methodsWe collected 976 pelvic and lower limbs T1-weighted muscle MRIs from 10 different MDs. Fatty replacement was quantified using Mercuri score and files containing the numeric data were generated. Random forest supervised machine learning was applied to develop a model useful to identify the correct diagnosis. Two thousand different models were generated and the one with highest accuracy was selected. A new set of 20 MRIs was used to test the accuracy of the model, and the results were compared with diagnoses proposed by 4 specialists in the field.

resultsA total of 976 lower limbs MRIs from 10 different MDs were used. The best model obtained had 95.7% accuracy, with 92.1% sensitivity and 99.4% specificity. When compared with experts on the field, the diagnostic accuracy of the model generated was significantly higher in a new set of 20 MRIs.

conclusionMachine learning can help doctors in the diagnosis of muscle dystrophies by analyzing patterns of muscle fatty replacement in muscle MRI. This tool can be helpful in daily clinics and in the interpretation of the results of next-generation sequencing tests. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that a muscle MRI-based artificial intelligence tool accurately diagnoses muscular dystrophies.

Indexed as

Supervised Machine LearningAdultHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingModels, TheoreticalMuscle, SkeletalMuscular DystrophiesReproducibility of ResultsSensitivity and Specificity

Identifiers

PMID32029545
OpenAlexW3005026363

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.