Ultrasound Reference Values Estimation for the Upper Limb Peripheral Nerves in Adult Females: A hospital-based Study

Darwish, Hoda S.; Habash, Waleed Y.; Kamel, Hanaa A.

doi:10.21608/scumj.2022.261000

Ultrasound Reference Values Estimation for the Upper Limb Peripheral Nerves in Adult Females: A hospital-based Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Egypt.

² Undergraduate student, Faculty of Medicine, New Giza University. Egypt.

³ Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt

10.21608/scumj.2022.261000

Abstract

Background: Newer high-frequency probes make superficial ultrasonography (USG) an excellent cost-effective modality in imaging upper limb peripheral nerves. Aim: To estimate the reference values for the upper limb peripheral nerves in adult females in the community attending our hospital. Subjects and Methods: One hundred Sixty healthy adult female volunteers free from any neuromuscular disease, from 20 to 49 years old, were included in our study from November 2018 to March 2020. Age, height, and weight were recorded. Cross-sectional area (CSA) of upper limb peripheral nerves including median, ulnar, and radial nerves measured in mm² at 8 scanning sites bilaterally were taken by US using a linear transducer (L12-5). It was measured by circumferential tracing inside the hyperechoicrim of each upper limb peripheral nerve. Results: The mean age of included subjects was 28.33± 12.13 years. The mean height was 154.48± 7.8, and the mean weight was 79.11±15.4. A significant positive statistical correlation with age was found for the median nerve at the carpal tunnel in addition to all four scanned sites for the ulnar nerve (total of 5 sites). A significant positive statistical correlation with patient weight was found for the median nerve at the carpal tunnel in addition to all scanned sites for the ulnar nerve except for the Guyon canal (total of 4 sites). However, no significant correlation was noted in relation to patient height. Conclusion: Our work data can be used as reference values to help in the diagnosis of peripheral nerve abnormalities in our community. We recommend further work on more subjects with different demographic data to increase the efficiency and spectra of our database.

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