AANS Beyond 2021: Full Collection-Assessment of Carpal Tunnel Sydrome using Magnetization Transfer Ratio Imaging

Assessment of Carpal Tunnel Sydrome using Magnetization Transfer Ratio Imaging

Video Transcription

Video Summary

In this video, Stephen Wilden, a third-year medical student from the University of Arizona College of Medicine, discusses the use of magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) imaging in assessing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). CTS is a compression of the median nerve, leading to numbness, tingling, and pain in the fingers. Traditional monitoring methods for CTS post-surgery have limitations, resulting in delayed decision-making and potential permanent deficits. MTR, primarily used to assess degeneration in inherited neuropathies, was applied to evaluate changes in myelin content in CTS patients after surgery. The study found that MTR values were significantly reduced in affected median nerves, suggesting the potential for MTR to serve as a biomarker for nerve degeneration and regeneration. Further research and larger studies are needed to determine MTR's effectiveness for predicting outcomes and developing improved MRI methods. Credits go to Dr. Richard Dorch, Dr. Rory Murphy, the Dortch Lab, Barrow Neurological Institute, and the funding sources for the research.

Keywords

magnetization transfer ratio

carpal tunnel syndrome

median nerve compression

nerve degeneration

nerve regeneration