Clinical Diagnostic Value Of Musculoskeletal Ultrasound In Cervicalspondylotic Radiculopathy

Objective: To investigate the clinical diagnostic value of musculoskeletal ultrasound in cervical spondylotic radiculopathy by studying the cross-sectional area of the root of the cervical brachial plexus and the width of the brachial plexus out of the intervertebral foramen.Methods: 54 outpatients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and 61 healthy volunteers without cervical spondylotic radiculopathy admitted to our hospital from March 2022 to February 2023 were selected as the research objects.The number of cases of cervical brachial plexus passing through the intervertebral foramen was observed.The width(d,mm)of cervical brachial plexus passing through the intervertebral foramen was measured by long axis,and the cross-sectional area(s,cm 2)of cervical brachial plexus root was measured by short axis.The cross-sectional area was measured at the root of the cervical brachial plexus,and the area of four circular low echoes was directly measured.The brachial plexus nerve traveled outward and downward from the intervertebral foramen,and the changes of nerve walking and echo were observed on the sonogram.The detection rate of brachial plexus out of the intervertebral foramen was indirectly calculated.The normality of the cross-sectional area(cm2)of the cervical brachial plexus root and the width(mm)of the brachial plexus out of the intervertebral foramen was tested.The bilateral 95% confidence interval of the width of the brachial plexus out of the intervertebral foramen in the control group and the P95(95th percentile)of the cross-sectional area of the cervical brachial plexus root in the control group were calculated.The cross-sectional area of the cervical brachial plexus root and the width of the brachial plexus nerve out of the intervertebral foramen between patients with inflammatory edema and ischemic cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and healthy volunteers were analyzed to verify whether the cross-sectional area of the cervical brachial plexus root and the width of the brachial plexus nerve out of the intervertebral foramen were statistically significant.Results:1.The detection rates of C5 nerve,C6 nerve,C7 nerve and C8 nerve out of intervertebral foramen were 86.96%,100%,100% and 98.26%,respectively.The detection rate of C5 nerve was lower than that of C6 nerve,C7 nerve and C8 nerve.2.The detection rate of cervical brachial plexus root cross-sectional area was 100%;3.The cross-sectional area(cm2)of the cervical brachial plexus root in the experimental group was larger than that in the control group during the inflammatory edema period,and the difference was statistically significant(P < 0.05);4.There was no significant difference in the width of the brachial plexus out of the intervertebral foramen between the experimental group and the control group,the difference between the C5 nerve and the C8 nerve group in the inflammatory edema period was not statistically significant,and the difference between the C6 nerve group and the C7 nerve group in the inflammatory edema period was statistically significant;there was no significant difference between the C5 nerve group and the C8 nerve group in the ischemic period,and the difference between the C6 nerve group and the C7 nerve group in the ischemic period was statistically significant.Conclusion: In patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy,the cross-sectional area of the root of the brachial plexus increased during the inflammatory edema period and decreased during the ischemic period.The width of the brachial plexus at the intervertebral foramen increased during the inflammatory edema period and decreased during the ischemic period.Comprehensive consideration of the cross-sectional area of the root of the brachial plexus and the width of the brachial plexus when it comes out of the intervertebral foramen can assist in the diagnosis of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy and the evaluation of the patient ’s recovery.This shows that musculoskeletal ultrasound has application value in clinical diagnosis of cervical spondylotic radiculopathy.