PM&R News   •   July 2018

Electrodiagnostics for carpal tunnel syndrome are well proven and very reliable. As ultrasound continues to gain popularity, physiatrists are becoming more interested in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome with this technology. This systematic review and meta-analysis set out to evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome. 28 studies were included in this analysis. The studies used cutoffs at the inlet level of 9.0-12.6mm2 and 9.5-10mm2 for outlet levels. Evaluation determined there is sufficient accuracy for use in clinical settings based on diagnostic odds ratio. Accuracy was higher for inlet levels compared to outlet levels. When using both inlet and outlet cutoffs, diagnostic accuracy did not increase. This may turn out to be a quicker, less painful way to diagnose carpal tunnel syndrome. However, as ultrasound improves, will it also be able to tell us severity and prognosis as electrodiagnostics can?

Don’t forget to check out our study plan for the ABPMR Part I Exam!