Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30065508›Full record

ArticleJournal of medical ultrasound

Inter-Rater and Intra-Rater Reliability of Sonographic Median Nerve and Wrist Measurements.

Consuelo B Gonzalez-Suarez, Lorraine D Buenavente, Ronald Christopher A Cua, Maria Belinda C Fidel, Jan-Tyrone C Cabrera, Carina Fatima G Regala

Open access · diamondAbstract read
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Article in Journal of medical ultrasound. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 32% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 16 citations in OpenAlex.

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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Consuelo B Gonzalez-SuarezDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, University of Santo Tomas, San Pablo, Laguna, Philippines.
Lorraine D BuenaventeDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Manila, Philippines.
Ronald Christopher A CuaDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Manila, Philippines.
Maria Belinda C FidelDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Manila, Philippines.
Jan-Tyrone C CabreraDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Manila, Philippines.
Carina Fatima G RegalaDepartment of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Santo Tomas Hospital, Manila, Philippines.
University of Santo Tomas Hospital · PHUniversity of Santo Tomas · PH

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundElectrophysiologic studies have been considered the "gold standard" in diagnosing carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS); however, reports of false-negative results, as well as discomfort for the patient during the procedure has paved the use of ultrasound, being a painless and cost-efficient tool, as an alternative means for its diagnosis. Various ultrasound parameters assessing the median nerve and wrist dimensions have been described, but description of landmarks to assess these in a reliable manner has been lacking. METHODOLOGY: A systematic search of different databases yielded data regarding ultrasound parameters for CTS diagnosis, the landmarks used, and presence of reliability testing. Based on this, three sonologists discussed the external and sonographic landmarks that will be used in measuring the median nerve measurements, bowing of the flexor retinaculum and the carpal tunnel dimensions. A pilot test with two consecutive healthy participants using the discussed ultrasound parameters was carried out, and results were subjected to inter- and intra-rater reliability testing. Modifications were accordingly made on the acquisition of ultrasound image using external landmarks. The reliability testing proper was done with ten consecutive healthy participants.

resultsBased on the systematic review and the pilot study, external landmarks were used to locate the median nerve in the forearm, carpal tunnel inlet and outlet. For the forearm measurement, it was taken 10 cm proximal from the distal palmar crease. The distal palmar crease was the external landmark used for the carpal tunnel inlet, while for the carpal tunnel outlet; it was measured 1 cm distal to the distal palmar crease. Instead of using the inner edge of the hook of hamate and trapezium, the apices of these bones were used as the landmarks in measuring the carpal tunnel outlet dimensions. There was excellent intra-rater reliability (mid-forearm, carpal tunnel inlet and outlet) except for the following: cross-sectional area (CSA) of the median nerve at the carpal tunnel inlet and outlet; and bowing of the flexor retinaculum. All the parameters had an excellent inter-rater reliability measured at the three levels (intraclass correlation [ICC]: Of 0.77-0.99) except for CSA of the median nerve at the levels of the forearm (fair-to-good with ICC of 0.71) and the carpal tunnel inlet (fair-to-good reliability of ICC: 0.43).

conclusionThere was an improved inter- and intra-rater reliability when external landmarks were used instead of sonographic landmarks.

Indexed as

Carpal tunnelmedian nerveultrasonographic measurements

Identifiers

PMID30065508
PMCPMC6029182
OpenAlexW2802029469

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.