Influence of temperature on sonographic images of the median nerve for the diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome: a case control study

BMC Medical Imaging

You-Wei Wang¹  Chii-Jen Chen²  Shinn-Kuang Lin³  Valeria Chiu⁴  Yi-Shiung Horng⁴  Yi-Wei Chang⁵ 

[1] Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC;Department of Medical Imaging and Radiological Technology, Yuanpei University of Medical Technology, Hsinchu, Taiwan, ROC;Department of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC;Stroke Center and Department of Neurology, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC;Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, No. 289, Jianguo Rd., Xindian Dist., 231, New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC;Department of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC;Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, No. 289, Jianguo Rd., Xindian Dist., 231, New Taipei City, Taiwan, ROC;Department of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan, ROC;Graduate Institute of Injury Prevention and Control, College of Public Health, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan;

关键词: Carpal tunnel syndrome;    Ultrasonography;    Power Doppler;    Skin temperature;    Blood flow;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12880-021-00700-6

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundIn addition to nerve conduction studies (NCSs), ultrasonography has been widely used as an alternative tool for diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). Although the results of NCSs are influenced by local skin temperature, few studies have explored the effects of skin temperature on ultrasonography of the median nerve. Since swelling and intraneural blood flow of the median nerve might be influenced by local temperature changes, the aim of this study was to evaluate the cross-sectional area (CSA) and intraneural blood flow of the median nerve under three skin temperatures (30 °C, 32 °C, 34 °C).MethodsFifty patients with CTS and 50 healthy volunteers were consecutively recruited from a community hospital. Each participant received physical examinations and NCSs and underwent ultrasonography, including power Doppler, to evaluate intraneural vascularity.ResultsThe CSA of the median nerve in the CTS patients was significantly larger than that in the healthy controls at all three temperatures. However, significant differences in the power Doppler signals of the median nerve between the two studied groups were observed only at 30 and 32 °C, not at 34 °C.ConclusionThe significant difference in the intraneural vascularity of the median nerve between the patients with CTS and the healthy subjects was lost at higher temperatures (34 °C). Therefore, the results of power Doppler ultrasonography in diagnosing CTS should be cautiously interpreted in patients with a high skin temperature or those who reside in warm environments.

【 授权许可】

CC BY