Shear Wave Elastography of the Abductor Pollicis Brevis in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: Relationship with Quantitative Motor Unit Potential and Nerve Conduction Parameters

Background/Objectives: We examined the association between shear wave elastography (SWE) of the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and quantitative motor unit potential (MUP) parameters in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), using the ulnar-innervated abductor digiti minimi (ADM) as a reference muscle.

Methods

In this prospective cross-sectional study, 73 patients with electrodiagnostically confirmed CTS (125 hands) and 37 healthy controls (69 hands) underwent SWE of the median nerve, APB, and ADM. Quantitative MUP analysis of the APB was performed in 65 hands with moderate or severe CTS. Both hands were included and analysed using mixed-effects models with participant as a random intercept; correlations were corrected using the Benjamini–Hochberg procedure.