title: Measurement of Median Nerve Strain and Applied Pressure for the Diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of strain and applied-pressure measurements of the median nerve in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Thirty-five wrists of 23 idiopathic CTS patients and 30 wrists of 15 normal patients were examined. Median nerve strain, pressure to the skin and the pressure/strain ratio were measured at the proximal carpal tunnel level. Parameters were compared between CTS patients and controls. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) were compared for the parameters. Median nerve strain was significantly lower in the patients than in the controls (p < 0.01). Pressure and pressure/strain ratio were significantly higher in the patients than in the controls (p < 0.05: pressure, p < 0.01: ratio). The AUCs were 0.926, 0.681 and 0.937 for strain, pressure and pressure/strain ratio, respectively. Pressure/strain ratio is useful for evaluating the condition of the median nerve with respect to the hardness of the surrounding structures in CTS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, Ami, Japan. Electronic address: yy12721@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yoshii
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Sciences, Ami, Japan.
authors.forename: Wen-Lin
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Tung
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Tokyo Medical University Ibaraki Medical Center, Ami, Japan.
authors.forename: Tomoo
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishii
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019245:Compressive Strength; D055119:Elastic Modulus; D054459:Elasticity Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods*; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011312:Pressure; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength
keywords: Carpal tunnel syndrome; Elastography; Median nerve; Pressure; Strain; Ultrasound