Assessment of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome by Shearwave Elastography

Treatment Monitoring of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Using Shear Wave Elastography: A Pilot in Vivo Study

This study is being done to test a new ultrasound method to detect possible stiffness problems within wrist(s). The purpose of this research is to the test the effectiveness of a new ultrasound method to check the nerve and surrounding tissue in both wrist of patient volunteers before and after treatment.

The ultrasound system is FDA approved. The risks associated with this research study are not beyond the normal risk of conventional ultrasound and should not cause you any discomfort. Ultrasound at the intensity levels and duration used in this study has not been shown to present risk to humans. The investigators will conduct the SWE study on the set time point when the patient returns for follow-up after the therapy (surgical decompression or corticosteroid injection).

A set of pictures will be taken of patients wrists by the FDA approved ultrasound system. This system uses a special type of ultrasound for imaging your wrists.

The ultrasound study will be repeated after 3 and 6 months after the treatments.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Male and female volunteers.
• Age ≥ 18 years old.
• Having unilateral symptom of wrist pain
• Scheduled for corticosteroid injection or surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

• Individuals less than 18 years of age.
• Prior surgery.
• People considered in "vulnerable" populations.
• Having bilateral symptoms