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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW High-resolution ultrasound has made it possible to view most nerves and muscles in real time and to identify pathologic change in size, echo texture, and vascularity. This article focuses on the principles underlying ultrasound imaging and the application of ultrasound imaging to clinical disorders commonly seen in an electrodiagnostic laboratory. RECENT FINDINGS Ultrasound is a sensitive and specific tool for evaluating myopathic and neurogenic muscle disease. It provides useful information about muscles difficult to study with other technologies, such as the tongue and diaphragm, and is also helpful in evaluating smaller muscles in the hands or feet where correlation with electrodiagnostic studies is possible. For nerves, the resolution of ultrasound is such that it can sensitively identify focal nerve enlargement, which is accurate in the diagnosis of entrapment neuropathies. Furthermore, it can recognize diffuse or multifocal nerve enlargement seen in hereditary and inflammatory neuropathies. SUMMARY Neuromuscular ultrasound is an informative noninvasive tool for evaluating nerve and muscle disease. As the technology continues to advance and becomes widely available, it may become a routine part of residency training, neuromuscular research, and clinical practice.
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Chen J, Chen L, Wu L, Wang R, Liu JB, Hu B, Jiang LX. Value of superb microvascular imaging ultrasonography in the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome: Compared with color Doppler and power Doppler. Medicine (Baltimore) 2017; 96:e6862. [PMID: 28538376 PMCID: PMC5457856 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000006862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the value of superb microvascular imaging (SMI) in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) with that of color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) and power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS).Fifty patients with symptomatic CTS and 25 healthy volunteers were enrolled. The cross-sectional area (CSA), CDUS score, PDUS score, and SMI score of the median nerve (MN) at the carpal tunnel were recorded. The value of different ultrasonography (US) diagnostic strategies was calculated.The blood flow display ratio in the MN of the healthy volunteers had no statistical difference between CDUS, PDUS, and SMI (20%, 32%, and 48%, respectively, P >.05). The blood flow display ratio for SMI in patients was significantly higher than that of CDUS and PDUS (90%, 52%, and 60%, respectively, P <.005). The accuracy of SMI score ≥2 (79%) was much higher than that of CDUS and PDUS (61% and 63%, respectively, P <.05). Comprehensive consideration of SMI and CSA, CSA≥10.5 mm, and/or SMI score ≥2 has the highest accuracy (83%), significantly higher than that of CSA combination with CDUS or PDUS (68% and 69%, respectively, P <.05).SMI is more sensitive to display the blood flow in the MN with CTS than CDUS and PDUS. It might significantly improve the diagnosis value for CTS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Chen
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Wu
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Rui Wang
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Ji-Bin Liu
- Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bing Hu
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Li-Xin Jiang
- Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital, Shanghai Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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Borire AA, Visser LH, Padua L, Colebatch JG, Huynh W, Simon NG, Kiernan MC, Krishnan AV. Utility of maximum perfusion intensity as an ultrasonographic marker of intraneural blood flow. Muscle Nerve 2016; 55:77-83. [PMID: 27226421 DOI: 10.1002/mus.25200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
We quantified intraneural blood flow (INBF) using perfusion measurement software (PixelFlux), and compared it with the qualitative method of counting blood vessels (vessel score) in a cohort of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) patients. METHODS Forty-seven patients (67 wrists) with a clinical and electrophysiological diagnosis of CTS, and 20 healthy controls (40 wrists) were enrolled. Median nerve ultrasound (US) was performed at the carpal tunnel inlet to measure the cross-sectional area (CSA) and vessel score. Power Doppler sonograms from nerves with detectable INBF were processed with PixelFlux to obtain the maximum perfusion intensity (MPI). RESULTS Forty-nine percent of CTS patients had detectable INBF compared with none in the control group (P < 0.0001). MPI correlated significantly with vessel score (r = 0.945, P < 0.0001), CSA (r = 0.613, P < 0.0001), and electrophysiological severity (r = 0.440, P < 0.0001). MPI had higher intra- or interobserver reliability compared with vessel score (0.95 vs. 0.47). CONCLUSION MPI is a better method for quantification of INBF. Muscle Nerve, 2016 Muscle Nerve 55: 77-83, 2017.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adeniyi A Borire
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Leo H Visser
- St. Elisabeth Ziekenhuis, Tilburg, The Netherlands
| | - Luca Padua
- Department of Geriatrics, Neurosciences, and Orthopedics, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy.,Don Gnocchi Foundation, Milan, Italy
| | - James G Colebatch
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Institute of Neurological Sciences, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - William Huynh
- Institute of Neurological Sciences, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Neil G Simon
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,St. Vincent's Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Matthew C Kiernan
- Brain and Mind Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Arun V Krishnan
- Prince of Wales Clinical School, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.,Institute of Neurological Sciences, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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Volz KR, Evans KD, Kanner CD, Dickerson JA. Detection of Intraneural Median Nerve Microvascularity Using Contrast-Enhanced Sonography: A Pilot Study. JOURNAL OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ULTRASOUND IN MEDICINE 2016; 35:1309-1316. [PMID: 27151909 DOI: 10.7863/ultra.15.07012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Demonstrating vascularity within the human median nerve may be difficult using power Doppler sonography. To this end, a pilot study documenting contrast-enhanced vascularity of the median nerve was conducted. METHODS Patients undergoing contrast-enhanced transthoracic echocardiography were recruited for this study (n = 24). During echocardiography, a simultaneous contrast-enhanced sonographic examination of the median nerve was conducted. The study and study protocol were built from preclinical evidence. Image analysis was based on the power Doppler pixel intensity within a defined region of interest to obtain quantitative data representing the average pixel intensity, maximum pixel intensity, and power Doppler pixel dot count. Semiquantitative data representing the power Doppler dot count grading were also obtained. RESULTS Spearman correlations between analytical methods showed strong positive, statistically significant (P< .05) correlations between the average pixel intensity and maximum pixel intensity and between the power Doppler dot count and dot count grading. Statistically significant increases in the average pixel intensity and power Doppler dot count were seen at all but 1 time point throughout the contrast-enhanced sonographic examination when compared to precontrast administration. Statistically significant increases in the maximum pixel intensity were seen at all but 4 time points. CONCLUSIONS These pilot results represent early evidence that contrast-enhanced sonography can be used to image median nerve vascularity. In this convenience sample, median nerve contrast-enhanced sonographic data collection was feasible, safe, and consistent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin R Volz
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus Ohio USA
| | - Kevin D Evans
- The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus Ohio USA
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Kerasnoudis A, Tsivgoulis G. Nerve Ultrasound in Peripheral Neuropathies: A Review. J Neuroimaging 2015; 25:528-38. [PMID: 25996962 DOI: 10.1111/jon.12261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2015] [Accepted: 04/06/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Peripheral neuropathies are one of the most common reasons for seeking neurological care in everyday practice. Electrophysiological studies remain fundamental for the diagnosis and etiological classification of peripheral nerve impairment. The recent technological development though of high resolution ultrasound has allowed the clinician to obtain detailed structural images of peripheral nerves. Nerve ultrasound mainly focuses on the evaluation of the cross sectional area, cross sectional area variability along the anatomical course, echogenity, vascularity and mobility of the peripheral nerves. An increase of the cross sectional area, hypervascularity, disturbed fascicular echostructure and reduced nerve mobility are some of the most common findings of entrapments neuropathies, such as the carpal or cubital tunnel syndrome. Both the cross-sectional area increase and the hypervascularity detected with the Doppler technique seem to correlate significantly with the clinical and electrophysiological severity of the later mononeuropathies. Significantly greater cross sectional area values of the clinically affected cervical nerve root are often detected in cases of cervical radiculopathy. In such cases, the ultrasound findings seem also to correlate significantly with disease duration. On the other hand, multifocal cross sectional area enlargement of cervical roots and/or peripheral nerves is often documented in cases of immune-mediated neuropathies. None of the later pathological ultrasound findings seem to correlate significantly with the electrophysiological parameters or the functional disability. The aim of this review is to provide a timely update on the role of neuromuscular ultrasound in the diagnostic of the most common entrapment and immune-mediated peripheral neuropathies in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Georgios Tsivgoulis
- Second Department of Neurology, University of Athens, School of Medicine, "Attikon" University Hospital, Athens, Greece.,International Clinical Research Center, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic
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Roll SC, Volz KR, Fahy CM, Evans KD. Carpal tunnel syndrome severity staging using sonographic and clinical measures. Muscle Nerve 2015; 51:838-45. [PMID: 25287477 DOI: 10.1002/mus.24478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/03/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ultrasonography may be valuable in staging carpal tunnel syndrome severity, especially by combining multiple measures. This study aimed to develop a preliminary severity staging model using multiple sonographic and clinical measures. METHODS Measures were obtained in 104 participants. Multiple categorization structures for each variable were correlated to diagnostic severity based on nerve conduction. Goodness-of-fit was evaluated for models using iterative combinations of highly correlated variables. Using the best-fit model, a preliminary scoring system was developed, and frequency of misclassification was calculated. RESULTS The severity staging model with best fit (rho 0.90) included patient-reported symptoms, functional deficits, provocative testing, nerve cross-sectional area, and nerve longitudinal appearance. An 8-point scoring scale classified severity accurately for 79.8% of participants. CONCLUSIONS This severity staging model is a novel approach to carpal tunnel syndrome evaluation. Including more sensitive measures of nerve vascularity, nerve excursion, or other emerging techniques may refine this preliminary model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn C Roll
- Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Kevin R Volz
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Christine M Fahy
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Kevin D Evans
- School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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