Abstract

Objective: This systematic review aims to determine the extent, scope, and nature of research using the sonographic measurement of intraneural blood flow within the median nerve and to identify, characterize, and compare image acquisition and analysis protocols that have been reported as potential candidate techniques for standardizing research and clinical applications. Materials and Methods: This systematic review summarizes image acquisition protocols and analysis methodologies from 52 current research studies using Doppler ultrasound to examine median nerve intraneural blood flow. Results: Four types of Doppler technologies were identified: power Doppler, color Doppler, spectral Doppler, and Superb Microvascular Imaging, but there were inconsistencies in how images were acquired and analyzed. Intraneural blood flow measurements were categorized into four types based on a combination of measurement level (e.g., binary, ordinal, continuous) and type of flow indicator (e.g., pixel count, intensity, velocity). Conclusion: Standardized imaging protocols and reporting guidelines are needed to improve consistency. Future studies should evaluate the accuracy and reliability of different image acquisition methods and analysis measurements.

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