title: Ultrasonographic evaluation of age-related changes in bowing of the flexor retinaculum.
abstract: The effects of age, gender, and hand dominance on bowing of the flexor retinaculum, used in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome, were analyzed. Forty men aged 23-58 years old (39.7 +/- 11.2) and 40 women aged 20-57 years old (39.6 +/- 11.3) were the normal subjects. A total of 160 wrists was examined with a linear array transducer. Bowing of the flexor retinaculum was measured as the distance from a line drawn between the trapezium and the hamate to the palmar apex of the outer surface of the flexor retinaculum. It was 0.5-3.7 mm (2.00 +/- 0.64) for all hands, 0.6-3.7 mm (2.06 +/- 0.62) for men, 0.5-3.4 mm (1.96 +/- 0.67) for women, 0.5-3.4 mm (1.00 +/- 0.64) for dominant, and 0.6-3.7 mm (2.03 +/- 0.65) for nondominant hands. There was no difference between genders or dominant vs non-dominant hands regarding this parameter. However, it was highly correlated with age (r=0.59, p<0.0001). In conclusion, bowing of the flexor retinaculum measurements should be carefully compared with the standardized values when diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Inonu University, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, 44069 Malatya, Turkey. taltinok@inonu.edu.tr
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Altinok
authors.forename: H M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Karakas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology