Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Neurophysiology

Background: High-resolution ultrasonography is a noninvasive, readily applicable imaging modality, capable of depicting real-time static and dynamic information concerning the peripheral nerves and their surrounding tissues. Although electrophysiological studies are the gold standard in the evaluation of nerve injuries, ultrasound can be used also to evaluate the morphological changes of nerve injuries. Objectives: is to determine the role of nerve ultrasound in the evaluation of nerve injuries and to compare it to the role of electrophysiological studies. Methods: A total of 30 nerves from 22 consecutive patients with clinical suspicion of nerve injury were considered.Two independent and blinded clinicians, performing electrodiagnosis and US, classified clinical, neurophysiological and US findings and classified the contribution of US as follows: {u2018}contributive{u2019} and {u2018}non-contributive{u2019} if US confirmed the clinical and neurophysiological diagnosis or not. Results: US was {u2018}contributive{u2019}(confirming the electrophysiological diagnosis) in 66.67% of cases (n: 20) providing information about continuity of the nerve, morphological changes after injury as swelling, scar tissue formation or neuroma formation with sensitivity (75%) compared to the electrodiagnostic studies and accuracy(66.67%). Conclusion: Ultrasound can be used when available as a complementary tool to electrodiagnostic studies to provide anatomical information about the injured nerves

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