Neuromuscular ultrasound in ulnar neuropathy at the elbow: correlation with electrodiagnostic studies

Abstract

UNE at the elbow is the second most prevalent compressive neuropathy, after median nerve entrapment at the carpal tunnel. Repeated friction of the nerve and its contact with bony surface can cause neuritis and subsequent functional loss. The diagnosis of cubital tunnel syndrome is usually based on clinical symptoms and signs, and confirmed by EDX. Electrodiagnostic (EDX) studies determine the type of the lesion, the level of compression, chronicity and disease severity. However, these studies cannot evaluate the architecture and the anatomical aspect of the nerves and its surrounding structures. Moreover, they are accompanied with substantial rate of false negative and false positive results (Yoon, etal.,2010).