Boontaree Wanitwattanarumlug, Vithya Varavithya, Woraphon Aramrussameekul
This study is carried out to evaluate the diagnostic value of ultrasound (US) of the median nerve in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in Thai patients. CTS patients and asymptomatic control subjects were examined, and the median nerve with Ultrasound (US) and underwent a nerve conductive studies (NCS). A linear array transducer was used to scan and measure the median nerve cross-sectional area (CSA). This data was compared to previous NCS results. There were twenty-three CTS patients, in whom 34 wrists were diagnosed as CTS, and 60 wrists in 30 asymptomatic controls. CSA calculated by the tracing method (TM) and ellipsoid formula (EF) methods was found to be significantly lower in the study group than in the controls (p<0.001). Thus, quantitative assessment of the median nerve provides an accurate diagnostic test (TM; sensitivity 85.29% and specificity 90.28%, EF; sensitivity of 70.59%, specificity 87.50%), with an area larger than 9 mm2 being highly predictive. High sensitivity and specificity of quantitative US assessment in the diagnosis of CTS were confirmed in the patients, when compared with NCS. There was no difference in the US cut-off value of the median nerve between the Thai population and the others
Share this article