J Korean Neurosurg Soc.  2013 Feb;53(2):132-135. 10.3340/jkns.2013.53.2.132.

Usefulness of Ultrasound for Detecting Suspected Peripheral Nerve Lesions in Diagnosis of Peripheral Neuropathy : Case Report and Brief Review of the Literature

• Jung JH
• Kim KH
• Choi SK
• Shim JH

• KMID: 2190694
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3340/jkns.2013.53.2.132

Abstract

Ultrasound scanning of a peripheral nerve along its expected course is a simple and useful method for determining the cause of peripheral neuropathy. We present 3 cases of peripheral neuropathy in which the pathology was detected by simple ultrasound scanning of the affected nerve. There were 2 cases of entrapment neuropathy due to mucoid cyst and 1 case of nerve sheath tumor. All lesions were visualized by simple ultrasound scanning of the involved peripheral nerve. Our results suggest that if a lesion affecting the peripheral nerve is suspected after history and physical examination or electrophysiologic studies, ultrasound scanning of the peripheral nerve of interest throughout its course is very helpful for identifying the causative lesion.

Keyword

Ultrasound; Nerve; Peripheral neuropathy

MeSH Terms

Nerve Compression Syndromes
Peripheral Nerves
Peripheral Nervous System Diseases
Physical Examination

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Transverse 13-7 MHz ultrasound image over the volar aspect of the right wrist. The ulnar nerve (arrowheads) is compressed and displaced by a ganglion cyst (black arrows). White arrows : transverse carpal ligament, asterisk : median nerve.

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  Fig. 2 Transverse 13-7 MHz ultrasound image over the posterolateral aspect of the left knee. A : The common peroneal nerve (arrowheads) is compressed and displaced by a ganglion cyst (black arrows). B : Oblique scan directed from the lateral femoral condyle (LFC) to fibular head (FH). The pedicle (white arrows) of the ganglion cyst (black arrows) communicates with the posterolateral corner of the knee joint.

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  Fig. 3 Transverse 13-7 MHz ultrasound image over the volar side of the mid forearm. Right (A) and left (B) : The intact ulnar nerve (arrowheads) and ulnar artery (black arrows) are seen on the right side. On the left side, a hypoechogenic mass is detected instead of the ulnar nerve. C and D are transverse T1-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images from the same site. An enhancing round-shaped mass is seen near the ulnar artery. Sagittal T1-weighted MR images (E and F) and longitudinal ultrasound image (G) show the whole length of the mass lesion (white arrows) and they show a corresponding contour with each other. US : ulnar shaft.

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