The Preliminary Study Of Quantitative Ultrasound Evaluation In Peripheral Nerve

Background and ObjectiveUltrasound(US)is a valuable tool in the diagnosis of the acute and chronic disease.Currently,there were absent of the effective modality to evaluate the progress and outcome of the disease.In the present study,we investigate the rat sciatic nerve in peripheral neuropathy by using ultrasound with echo intensity(EI)Methods1.The rat sciatic nerve and surrounding muscles and its bifurcation were detected by ultrasound,and the results were compared with the dissection.The cross sectional area(CSA)at three different levels were measured,and it was compred with the number of nerve fibers.2.US imaging and electrophysiological examination testing of sciatic nerves were monitored in diabetic and control rats at the period of 1 and 4 month of hyperglycemia.The CSA,EI,motor nerve conduction velocity(MNCV),paw withdrawal threshold(PWT),and histological changes were measured and compared between diabetic and control animals.3.BMCs and PBS were prepared by seeding into distal nerve after epineurium repair.US imaging,and sciatic function index measurement were performed over an 8-week follow-up period,with histologic assessments performed at regular intervals.Results1.The course and surrounding tissue of rat sciatic nerve at hindlimb could be shown by US,and the results were comfirmed by dissection.CSA before the bifurcation were correlated with the histological results.2.Intraneural hyperechoic were observed in diabetic rats,and the EI of the sciatic nerve was increased in diabetic rats than control lean rats at 4 months of hyperglycemia(P <0.05),which showed a similar correlation with functional deficit and histological changes for the severity of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.3.Peripheral nerve repair with use of BMCs can be monitored by using US.EI seems to be a useful parameter for detecting nerve regeneration.ConclusionsThe course of rat sciatic nerve could be shown by ultrasound.The CSA at the bifurcation of posterior femoral cutaneous nerve were correlated with the histological data.EI value were correlated with the progress of DPN.The repair of peripheral nerve could be evaluated by US,and quick descend of EI might be related to better repair.Ultrasound EI might be a new method in the clinical evaluation of peripheral neuropathy.