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Review
. 2024 Jul;43(7):1181-1198.
doi: 10.1002/jum.16447. Epub 2024 Mar 19.

Neuromuscular Ultrasound in Polyneuropathies

Yasmin K Nasr-Eldin  1 , Michael S Cartwright  2 , Ahmed Hamed  1 , Lamia Hamdy Ali  3 , Ahmed M Abdel-Nasser  1
Affiliations
Review

Neuromuscular Ultrasound in Polyneuropathies

Yasmin K Nasr-Eldin et al. J Ultrasound Med. 2024 Jul.

Abstract

Neuromuscular ultrasound is a painless, radiation-free, high-resolution imaging technique for assessing the peripheral nervous system. It can accurately depict changes in the nerves and muscles of individuals with neuromuscular conditions, and it is therefore a robust diagnostic tool for the assessment of individuals with polyneuropathies. This review will outline the typical ultrasonographic changes found in a wide variety of polyneuropathies. In general, demyelinating conditions result in greater nerve enlargement than axonal conditions, and acquired conditions result in more patchy nerve enlargement compared to diffuse nerve enlargement in hereditary conditions. This review is data-driven, but more nuanced anecdotal findings are also described. The overall goal of this paper is to provide clinicians with an accessible review of the ultrasonographic approaches and findings in a wide variety of polyneuropathies.

Keywords: hereditary; immune mediated; leprosy; metabolic; motor neuron disease; polyneuropathy; toxic; ultrasound.

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References

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