Stereological and comparative evaluation of the carpal tunnel in patients with carpal tunnel syndrome using magnetic resonance images

Abstract

Introduction: In this study, the relation between carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) severity and the carpal tunnel volume (CTV), volume and the volume fraction of the carpal tunnel contents on subjects with CTS and healthy individuals were examined. Material and Methods: 30 female patients diagnosed with CTS clinically and electrophysiologically and 16 healthy female patients were included in this study. In patient group, 50 and in control group 30 hand wrists were examined. CTS severity was ranked electrophysiologically. T1-weighted axial magnetic resonance images (MRIs) were examined by the Cavalieri principle. Results: CTV in the patient group (4.26 ± 0.57 cm3) was found to be lower than that of the control group (4.66 ± 0.73 cm3), while the volume (0.41 ± 0.07 cm3) of the median nerve (Vnm) in the patient group was found to be higher than the control group (P < 0.05). Besides, the volume and volume fraction of the median nerve increase when the CTS severity increases (r = 0.610; r = 0.778). Discussion and Conclusion: Our study has shown that stereological studies with MRI are successful in determining the CTV in differentiating patients and healthy people. In addition, the volume and volume fraction of the median nerve were found to be quite effective in differentiating the severity of CTS. It is anatomically confirmed that when the severity of CTS increases, the space volume fraction of the carpal tunnel decreases.