Evaluation Of Normal Adults And Patients With Type2Diabetes Lower Limb Changes Of Peripheral Nerves By High Frequency Ultrasonography

Part I Evaluation of normal adults lower limb of peripheral nervesby high frequency ultrasonographyObjective:To investigate the scanning method and the ultrasonographiccharacteristics of the femoral and saphenous nerves of normal adults by high-frequencyultrasonography.Methods:The femoral and saphenous nerves in42normal adults were examinedby high frequency ultrasound. The ultrasonographic characteristics was described andthe width, thickness, cross-sectional areas (CSA) were measured. The correlations ofthese parameters with age, height, weight were analyzed.Result:The trunk of femoral nerve and the femoral part of the saphenous nervecould be displayed clearly by high-frequency ultrasongraphy. There were no significantdifferences in width, thickness and cross-sectional areas (CSA) of the two nervesbetween left and right (all P>0.05). There were no correlation of width, thickness,cross-sectional areas (CSA) with age (all P>0.05).The cross-sectional areas(CSA),width and thickness of two nerves were positively correlated with height and weight(allP<0.05).Conclusion:The trunks of femoral and saphenous nerves of normal adults can bedisplayed clearly by high-frequency ultrasonography with an important clinical significance in location of nerves blockade. Part II Evaluation of patients with type2diabetes lower limbchanges of peripheral nerves by high frequency ultrasonographyObjective: To observe the abnormalities of femoral and saphenous nerves inpatients of type2diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with or without diabetic peripheryneuropathy(DPN) by high frequency ultrasonography.Methods:81T2DM patients were enrolled and divided into two groups: group B(T2DM without DPN,40cases); group C (T2DM with DPN,41cases), and42healthysubjects were enrolled as control group (group A).The internal echo and succession ofthe two nerves in three groups were observed. The width, thickness and cross-sectionalareas of the two nerves were measured and compared.Results: In group A，the internal echo of the two nerves appeared as slightlyhyperechoic with reticular structure on transverse section and strips of hypoechogenicityand parallel structure of slightly hyperechogenicity on longitudinal section; Comparedwith group A, the internal echo of group B was decreased slightly, and the reticularstructure was slightly obscure and strips of echo on longitudinal section were less clear;Compared with group B, the internal echo of group C was decreased obviously. Thereticular structure was disorder and strips of echo on longitudinal section were obscure.The width, thickness and cross-sectional areas of group B and C were larger than thoseof group A (all P<0.05); The thickness and cross-sectional areas of group C were largerthan those of group B (all P<0.05).Conclusion: The abnormalities of internal echo and measurement of the trunks offemoral and saphenous nerves in patients of T2DM with or without DPN can bedisplayed clearly by high-frequency ultrasonography. It can provide objective basis for clinical diagnosis with important clinical significance.