Utility of Ultrasound Elastography in Evaluation of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Journal
Ultrasound in medicine & biology
Journal Volume
45
Journal Issue
11
Start Page
2855
End Page
2865
Date Issued
2019-08-09
Author(s)
Abstract
We systematically reviewed observational studies investigating ultrasound elastography for median nerves in the carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) population. PubMed and Embase were studied from the earliest record to April 2019. The primary outcome was the comparison of elasticity of the median nerve between participants with and without CTS, quantified by the standardized mean difference (SMD) and its 95% confidence interval. The median nerve is considered to be stiffer in the CTS population when the SMD of tissue strain is negative, or that of strain ratio, shear modulus and shear wave velocity are positive. The present meta-analysis included 17 studies, evaluating 1401 wrists. Our result showed that regardless of the ultrasound elastography mode (tissue strain, strain ratio, shear modulus and shear wave velocity) used, median nerves at the wrist level in patients with CTS were consistently stiffer than those in healthy controls. Importantly, ultrasound elastography revealed its potential in differentiating CTS of different severity.
Subjects
Carpal tunnel; Elastography; Entrapment; Median nerve; Ultrasound
SDGs
Other Subjects
Acoustic wave velocity; Elastic moduli; Medical imaging; Neurodegenerative diseases; Shear strain; Shear waves; Tissue; Ultrasonics; Wave propagation; Carpal tunnel; Carpal tunnel syndrome; Elastography; Entrapment; Median nerves; Observational study; Shear wave velocity; Ultrasound elastography; Shear flow; carpal tunnel syndrome; elasticity; elastography; human; median nerve; meta analysis; nerve compression; observational study; occupational hazard; priority journal; Review; risk factor; shear strength; shear stress; shear wave elastography; stress strain relationship; systematic review; ultrasound elastography; wrist; carpal tunnel syndrome; diagnostic imaging; Carpal Tunnel Syndrome; Elasticity Imaging Techniques; Humans; Median Nerve
Type
review article