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© 2008 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
J Ultrasound Med 27:193-197 • 0278-4297

Reproducibility of Sonographic Measurements of the Median Nerve

Luis Alemán, MD, Juan D. Berná, MD, Manuel Reus, MD, Francisco Martínez, MD, Ginés Doménech-Ratto, MD and Matilde Campos, MD

Department of Radiology, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, El Palmar, Murcia, Spain (L.A., J.D.B., M.R.); and Department of Human Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain (F.M., G.D.-R., M.C.).

Address correspondence to Juan D. Berná, MD, Department of Radiology, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, 30120 El Palmar, Murcia, Spain. E-mail: jdberna{at}um.es

Objective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of median nerve cross-sectional area (CSA) measurements using the indirect method (ellipsoid formula) and the direct or tracing method. Methods. The median nerve CSA was measured in 22 wrists of patients with carpal tunnel syndrome by means of high-frequency sonography. Measurements were made at the level of the pisiform bone by a standardized sonographic examination protocol. Two observers with different levels of experience performed the measurements, independently and blinded. An analysis of reliability was carried out, and the concordance between the methods was determined with parametric statistical tests. Results. The results point to good reproducibility of the median nerve CSA measurements obtained by both methods, whether performed by an experienced observer or by an inexperienced observer after a short learning period. Conclusions. The results suggest sonography for median nerve CSA measurements is reproducible by either the direct or indirect method when a standardized sonographic examination protocol is used.

Key Words: carpal tunnel syndrome • median nerve • reproducibility • sonography • wrist

Abbreviations: CSA, cross-sectional area • CTS, carpal tunnel syndrome

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Copyright © 2008 by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine.