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Cross‐sectional area reference values of the median nerve at the palm using ultrasound
Author(s) -
Jain Nikita,
CortezGarcia Eduardo,
Cartwright Michael S.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.27001
Subject(s) - median nerve , palm , medicine , wrist , carpal tunnel syndrome , ultrasound , anatomy , cross sectional study , carpal tunnel , nuclear medicine , surgery , radiology , pathology , physics , quantum mechanics
Background The most common neuromuscular ultrasound abnormality in carpal tunnel syndrome is enlargement of the median nerve near the distal wrist crease, but sometimes the median nerve enlarges in the palm, just distal to the transverse carpal ligament. This study was conducted to devise a protocol for measuring the median nerve in the palm and to generate reference values for nerve cross‐sectional area at this site. Methods A systematic protocol was developed, 30 healthy individuals underwent ultrasound of the median nerve in the palm bilaterally, and cross‐sectional area was recorded. Results The mean cross‐sectional area of the median nerve at the palm was between 11.4 mm 2 (95% confidence interval [CI] [10.4,12.4]) and 11.6 mm 2 (95%CI [10.6,12.6]). Conclusions The median nerve can be measured just distal to the hook of the hamate in the palm, and the mean cross‐sectional area at this site is slightly larger than it is at the distal wrist crease.