The Value of Morphologic Study (MRI) of the Median Nerve in Stadialization and Treatment of the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a sensitive neuropathy of the upper limb caused by chronic compression of the median nerve. The presented study focused on highlighting the value of morphological changes of the median nerve - shown by MRI in the management of carpal tunnel syndrome. The study group included 23 patients, adults, treated in the Plastic Surgery Clinic of the County Emergency Clinical Hospital in Constanta - prospective study. Magnetic resonance imaging allowed accurate measurement of the median nerve diameter and showed significant decreases in most cases, which suggested an advanced stage of the disease - morphological changes being corroborated with clinical ones. This imagistic investigation opens a new way in establishing the surgical indication, which is required in case of reduction of the nerve diameter by at least 1.5mm at the site of compression. The criterion of diameter decrease can be a benchmark in order to establish a therapeutic algorithm in carpal tunnel syndrome.