Assessing The Reliability Of Ultrasound Imaging To Examine Radial Nerve Excursion

Authors: Ben Kasehagen, Richard Ellis, Grant Mawston, Scott Allen, Wayne Hing

Abstract:

Ultrasound imaging allows cost effective in vivo analysis for quantifying peripheral nerve excursion. This study used ultrasound imaging to quantify longitudinal radial nerve excursion during various active and passive wrist movements in healthy participants. Frame-by-frame cross-correlation software allowed calculation of nerve excursion from video sequences. The reliability of ultrasound measurement of longitudinal radial nerve excursion was moderate to high (intraclass correlation coefficient range = 0.63–0.86, standard error of measurement 0.19–0.48). Radial nerve excursion ranged from 0.41 to 4.03 mm induced by wrist flexion and 0.28 to 2.91 mm induced by wrist ulnar deviation. No significant difference was seen in radial nerve excursion during either wrist movement (p > 0.05). Wrist movements performed in forearm supination produced larger overall nerve excursion (1.41 ± 0.32 mm) compared with those performed in forearm pronation (1.06 ± 0.31 mm) (p < 0.01). Real-time ultrasound is a reliable, cost-effective, in vivo method for analysis of radial nerve excursion

Key Words

Ultrasound imaging; Radial nerve; Nerve mobilisation; Reliability.

Citation: Ben Kasehagen, Richard Ellis, Grant Mawston, Scott Allen, Wayne Hing Assessing The Reliability Of Ultrasound Imaging To Examine Radial Nerve Excursion doi:10.1016/j.ultrasmedbio.2016.02.013.

Received: 13 August 2015, Revised: 17 February 2016, Accepted: 21 February 2016, Available online: 14 April 2016

Copyright: © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-
ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

Conclusions

The findings of the present study provide evidence that USI and frame-by-frame cross-correlation analysis techniques used in the present study to quantify longitudinal radial nerve excursion has moderate to high reliability. Wrist movements that were performed passively were shown to produce significantly greater radial nerve excursion than those using active movement. Furthermore, wrist movements when performed in forearm supination produced significantly greater nerve excursion than when placed in pronation. No significant differences in radial nerve excursion were demonstrated between the movements of wrist flexion and ulnar deviation. This research provides insight into the typical range of radial nerve excursion in healthy people. This has the potential to inform future research that examines clinical conditions where radial nerve excursion may be impaired.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Edel Kelly for providing hand splints to assist with testing and to all participants for donating their time.