title: Preliminary evaluation of the sural nerve using 22-MHz ultrasound: a new approach for evaluation of diabetic cutaneous neuropathy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The application of 22-MHz high-frequency ultrasound allows for visualization of the inner part of the sural nerve. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphological changes of sural nerves in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus using ultrasound.
  
  
  METHODS
  The thickness/width (T/W) ratio, the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the sural nerves and the maximum thickness (MT) of the nerve fascicles were measured in 100 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 50 healthy volunteers using 22-MHz ultrasound. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to determine the optimal cut-off values as well as the sensitivities and specificities. All parameters were significantly different between the subject and control groups. The ROC curves demonstrated that the MT was the most predictive of diabetic cutaneous neuropathy, with an optimal cut-off value of 0.365 mm that yielded a sensitivity of 90.3% and a specificity of 87.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that 22-MHz ultrasound may be a valuable tool for evaluating diabetic cutaneous nerve neuropathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital; Shanghai Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jiaan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Mei
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Yuqian
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D012372:ROC Curve; D013497:Sural Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography