title: Correlating Median Nerve Cross-sectional Area With Nerve Conduction Studies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether there is a correlation between the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve, as measured using ultrasound, and the distal motor and/or sensory latencies as measured on nerve conduction studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with clinical signs and symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome were prospectively enrolled in this study. Subjects underwent ultrasound measurement of the CSA of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel inlet by a fellowship-trained hand surgeon, followed by nerve conduction studies (NCS) by a certified electrodiagnostic technician who was blinded to the results of the ultrasound examination. Pearson correlations were performed to compare CSA and NCS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Pearson correlation was r = 0.57 between CSA and distal motor latency and r = 0.47 between CSA and distal sensory latency. Correlation was r = 0.81 between distal motor latency and distal sensory latency.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a correlation between CSA of the median nerve and NCS. Further research is necessary to determine which test correlates better with patient symptoms and function.
  
  
  METHODS
  Diagnostic II.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Hand and Upper Extremity, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Benson J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Pulikkottil
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Hand and Upper Extremity, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Micah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schub
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Hand and Upper Extremity, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Tiffany R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Kadow
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Hand and Upper Extremity, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Division of Hand and Upper Extremity, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Electronic address: johnfowler10@gmail.com.
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Fowler
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009431:Neural Conduction; D009460:Neurologic Examination / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*
keywords: Carpal tunnel syndrome; cross-sectional area; nerve conduction studies; ultrasound