Imaging of Peripheral Nerves of the Upper Extremity

Peripheral neuropathy (often defined as weakness of sensory loss in one limb) of the upper extremity is a common clinical musculoskeletal scenario. The most common include carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, and cervical radiculopathy. A combination of clinical examination, electrodiagnostic testing, and imaging studies, chiefly MR imaging and ultrasonography, is often needed to identify a specific diagnosis for an individual patient. In many cases, ultrasonography is preferred because of ease of access, the possibility of quick contralateral extremity imaging for comparison, and lower cost profile. MR imaging is preferred for deeper nerve structures and large-field-of-view evaluation.