Diagnostic Value of Shear-Wave Elastography of Median Nerve in Patients with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Background: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), a compression neuropathy of the median nerve at the wrist, is the most common form of peripheral entrapment neuropathy. CTS is usually diagnosed through medical assessments and electrophysiological testing. Shear wave elastography (SWE) is an increasingly utilized imaging modality for assessing nerve stiffness in different regions of the body. This study aimed to evaluate possible changes in median nerve stiffness in patients with CTS using SWE compared with healthy individuals. Results: Patients were found to have higher stiffness values of the median nerve in the affected hands than in the control group (81.1 ± 10.6 kPa vs. 38.06 ± 5.6 kPa), with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that median nerve stiffness was 1.5-fold higher in patients with CTS than in the control group. The cut-off value for the diagnosis of CTS was 64.5 kPa, with 88% sensitivity and 85% specificity. Conclusion: Median nerve stiffness was significantly higher in patients with CTS than in the control group. Therefore, the SWE of the median nerve can be suggested as part of the diagnostic workup for CTS.