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Screening of Axonal Degeneration in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Using Ultrasonography and Nerve Conduction Studies
Published on: January 11, 2019
A handheld nerve conduction measuring device in carpal tunnel syndrome
U Tolonen1, M Kallio, J Ryhänen
1Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Oulu University Hospital, FIN-90029 Oulu, Finland. uolevi.tolonen@emg.fi
Acta Neurologica Scandinavica
|May 22, 2007
Summary
A new handheld nerve conduction tester shows high accuracy and reliability for diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). This easy-to-use device may improve the availability of nerve conduction studies (NCS) for CTS patients.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Medical Devices
- Diagnostic Technology
Background:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a common condition affecting the median nerve.
- Accurate diagnosis of CTS relies on nerve conduction studies (NCS).
- Traditional NCS instrumentation can be cumbersome and less accessible.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic utility and reliability of a novel handheld nerve conduction tester.
- To compare the performance of the new device with traditional NCS methods in diagnosing CTS.
Main Methods:
- Sensory nerve conductions (SNC) of the median and ulnar nerves were measured using the handheld tester in 194 suspected CTS patients and 95 healthy controls.
- Results from the handheld tester were compared against findings from traditional NCS instrumentation.
Main Results:
- The new device demonstrated high accuracy, correctly classifying 97.3% of hands without median nerve lesions and 85.5% of hands with median nerve lesions.
- The tester achieved a specificity of 98% compared to traditional NCS.
- High inter-technician and inter-study reliability was observed, with a correlation coefficient of 0.87.
Conclusions:
- The novel handheld nerve conduction tester is reliable and reproducible for evaluating CTS.
- This device has the potential to increase the accessibility and availability of NCS for CTS diagnosis.