Musculoskeletal Ultrasound for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is the result of increased pressure on the median nerve and tendons within the carpal tunnel. Musculoskeletal ultrasound diagnoses disorders of nerves, muscles and tendons. Ultrasound has been found to be a good diagnostic tool for carpal tunnel syndrome for its ability to detect median nerve abnormalities. Currently, carpal tunnel syndrome is diagnosed by performing electrodiagnostic tests (EDT) and examining the patient's clinical syndromes; however, EDT has been found to provide false negative results. The use of ultrasound provides additional information for clinicians, including measurements of the median nerve. Musculoskeletal ultrasound is improving with speckle tracking technology, which tracks acoustic signals from frame to frame. Speckle tracking is currently being studied for its effectiveness to detect carpal tunnel syndrome.