Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine

Original Article: J Korean Acad Rehabil Med. 2006;30(3):241-246.; Comparison of the Ultrasonographic Study and the Electrodiagnostic Study on the Ulnar Neuropathy around the Elbow Region.; Sim, Kyu Hun , Kim, Sei Joo , Seo, Kwan Sik , Yoon, Joon Shik; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Korea. rehab46@medimail.co.kr

Abstract: Objective
To evaluate the relationship between the electrophysiologic findings and the ultrasonographic findings of the ulnar neuropathy around the elbow. Method: We examed 20 elbows with the ulnar neuropathy around the elbow and 22 healthy elbows. We measured the cross-sectional area (CSA) and the diameters of the long, short axis of the ulnar nerve at the swollen portion and the compressed portion by ultrasonography. Results: The CSA, diameters on the longitudinal and transverse view of the swollen portion of the ulnar nerve of the patients group was larger than that of the control group (p＜0.05). The decrement of conduction velocity across the elbow was ⁣0.54⁑5.74 m/s in the control group and 18.60⁑10.45 m/s in the patients group (p＜0.05). There was no significant correlation between the decrement of the nerve conduction velocity across elbow and the decrement of CSA (r=0.346, p＞0.05). There was significant correlation between the decrement of the nerve conduction velocity across elbow and the increment of the diameter on the swollen portion on the longitudinal and transverse view (r=0.541, 0.466, p＜0.05, respectively). Conclusion: The difference of diameter between swollen and compressed portion of the ulnar nerve on the ultrasonography was correlated with the conduction velocity decrement on the electrophysiologic study. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2006; 30: 241-246)

Keywords :Electrophysiologic findings, Ultrasonographic findings, Ulnar neuropathy, Cross-sectional area