Ultrasound elastography assessment of the median nerve in leprosy patients

We sought to compare median nerve elasticity between leprosy patients (LPs) and healthy volunteers (HVs) using ultrasound elastography (UE).

Two radiologists independently measured the strain ratio of the median nerve/flexor digitorum superficialis muscle (MN/FDSM) of 18 LP and 18 HV using real-time freehand UE. Statistical analysis included intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) and Mann-Whitney test.

The MN/FDSM strain ratios of the LP and HV were 2.66 ± 1.30 and 3.52 ± 0.93, respectively (P <  0.05). We observed a significantly lower MN/FDSM strain ratio in LP with reactions (types 1 and 2 cutaneous reactions associated with or without neuritis) (2.30 ± 0.91) compared with LP without reactions (3.60 ± 1.70). We found no significant differences between HV and LP without reactions. The intra- and inter-observer ICCs were 0.50 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11-0.72) and 0.34 (95% CI, 0.28-0.52), respectively.

MN/FDSM strain ratios were significantly lower in LP with reactions. UE may be useful for nerve elasticity evaluation in leprosy. Muscle Nerve 56: 393-398, 2017.