This thesis describes the development and application of different MRI techniques which can be used for diagnostic work-up in a broad spectrum of diseases or injuries affecting the neuromuscular system. The largest portion of this thesis is aimed at one specific technique which is called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). This technique enables noninvasive and in-vivo assessment of the diffusion characteristics of water molecules in living tissues such as skeletal muscles and peripheral nerves. These diffusion properties strongly depend on the intra- and extracellular constituents of muscle and nerve tissue, rendering it therefore highly sensitive to (patho-)physiological changes of these constituents. The thesis is divided into two parts, of which the first is aimed at the application of DTI in the skeletal muscles. The second part subsequently utilizes lessons learned from the first part to apply DTI to the peripheral nerves located between the neck and shoulder, the so called brachial plexus. Finally, the techniques developed in this thesis are applied to patients with different neuropathies to explore the diagnostic properties of these techniques
