Sonographic Evaluation of Tibial and Common Peroneal Nerves in Patients with Long Standing Diabetes
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Abstract
Introduction: Ultrasound is a helpful imaging tool to determine the location, extent, type of lesion as well as the presence of nerve swelling and inflammation in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy. The study highlights the significant impact of long-standing diabetes on the tibial and common peroneal nerves, underscoring the importance of sonographic evaluation in diabetic patients.
Method: This Cross-sectional observational study was carried out in the Radiodiagnosis department of Vivekanand Polyclinic & Institute of Medical Sciences, focusing on 48 patients having long standing diabetes (>10 years). Ultrasonography was performed with Siemens Acuson NX3 Elite using a linear transducer (4–12 MHz) in patients meeting inclusion criteria.
Results: The study's correlation analysis of sonographic findings and clinical parameters revealed that there is strong positive correlation between the duration of disease and CSA and MTNF of the Tibial nerve, moderate positive correlation between Blood sugar levels and all nerve parameters, strong and moderate correlations between HbA1c levels and all nerve parameters, with the highest correlation observed for the CSA of the Tibial nerve and lastly moderate correlation between clinical features and all nerve measures, most notably with MTNF of the Tibial nerve.
Conclusion: Ultrasound is a non-invasive, low cost, and real-time imaging technique to evaluate peripheral nerves in diabetic patients to identify changes in these nerves early so that healthcare providers can implement more targeted interventions to mitigate the progression of neuropathy.
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