Ann Rehabil Med.  2018 Aug;42(4):601-608. 10.5535/arm.2018.42.4.601.

Investigation of the Diagnostic Value of Ultrasonography for Radial Neuropathy Located at the Spiral Groove

• Song S
• Yoo Y
• Won SJ
• Park HJ
• Rhee WI

• KMID: 2420053
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5535/arm.2018.42.4.601

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To determine a diagnostic cut-off value for the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the radial nerve using ultrasonography for radial neuropathy located at the spiral groove (SG).
METHODS
Seventeen patients with electrodiagnostic evidence of radial neuropathy at the SG and 30 healthy controls underwent ultrasonography of the radial nerve at the SG . The CSAs at the SG were compared in the patient and control groups. The CSA at the SG between the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides (ΔSx-Asx and Sx/Asx, respectively) were analyzed to obtain the optimal cut-off value. The relationship between the electrophysiological severity of radial neuropathy and CSA was also evaluated.
RESULTS
Among the variables examined, there were statistically significant differences in the CSA between the patient and control groups, ΔSx-Asx, and Sx/Asx at the SG. In a receiver operating characteristics analysis, the cut-off CSA was 5.75 mm² at the SG (sensitivity 52.9%, specificity 90%), 1.75 mm² for ΔSx-Asx (sensitivity 58.8%, specificity 100%), and 1.22 mm² for Sx/Asx (sensitivity 70.6%, specificity 93.3%) in diagnosing radial neuropathy at the SG. There was no significant correlation between CSA and electrophysiological severity score for either patient group.
CONCLUSION
The reference value obtained for CSA of the radial nerve at the SG may facilitate investigation of radial nerve pathologies at the SG.

Keyword

Radial neuropathy; Diagnostic imaging

MeSH Terms

Diagnostic Imaging
Humans
Pathology
Radial Nerve
Radial Neuropathy*
Reference Values
ROC Curve
Sensitivity and Specificity
Ultrasonography*

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1. Ultrasonographic images of the radial nerve at a site just proximal to the spiral groove. The radial nerve is shown inside the dotted line. (A) Radial nerve in normal controls and (B) radial nerve in patients. H, humerus. T, triceps.

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