title: Contribution of a new electrophysiologic test to Morton's neuroma diagnosis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Morton's neuroma causes metatarsalgia due to the interdigital neuropathy. The small nerve diameter compromises their evaluation in image studies. To overcome this problem we propose a new electrophysiological test.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a prospective case-control study performing a orthodromic electroneurography using subdermal electrodes in controls and patients to assess the validity. Additionally all patients were tested with magnetic resonance. Some patients required surgery and subsequent histological evaluation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The new ENG procedure showed higher sensitivity and specificity. Methodological standardization was easy and the test was well tolerated by the subjects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our test demonstrated remarkable diagnostic efficiency, and also was able to identify symptomatic patients undetected by magnetic resonance, which underlines the lack of correlation between the size and intensity of the lesion. This new electrophysiological method appears to be a highly sensitivity, well-tolerated, simple and low-cost for Morton's neuroma diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Albacete General Hospital, Albacete, Spain. Electronic address: josempardal@yahoo.es.
authors.forename: José Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Pardal-Fernández
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Albacete General Hospital, Albacete, Spain.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Palazón-García
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Albacete General Hospital, Albacete, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hernández-Fernández
authors.affiliation: Neuropsychopharmacology Unit, Albacete General Hospital, Albacete, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Cabo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009463:Neuroma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Electroneurography; Electrophysiology; Forefoot pain; Metatarsalgia; Morton's neuroma