Improved visualization of median, ulnar nerves, and small branches in the wrist and palm using contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance neurography.

BACKGROUND: Magnetic resonance imaging of peripheral nerves in the wrist and palm is challenging due to the small size, tortuous course, complex surrounding tissues, and accompanying blood vessels. The occurrence of carpal palmar lesions leads to edema, swelling, and mass effect, which may further interfere with the display and identification of nerves.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance neurography (ceMRN) improves the visualization of the morphology and pathology of the median, ulnar nerves, and their small branches in the wrist and palm.

DESIGN: An observational study.

METHODS: In total 57 subjects, including 36 volunteers and 21 patients with carpal palmar lesions, were enrolled and underwent ceMRN and non-contrast MRN (ncMRN) examination at 3.0 Tesla. The degree of vascular suppression, nerve visualization, diagnostic confidence, and lesion conspicuity was qualitatively assessed by two radiologists. Kappa statistics were obtained for inter-reader agreement. The signal-to-noise ratio, contrast ratio (CR), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the median nerve were measured. The subjective ratings and quantitative measurements were compared between ncMRN and ceMRN.

RESULTS: The inter-reader agreement was excellent ( k  > 0.8) for all qualitative assessments and visualization assessment of each nerve segment. Compared with ncMRN, ceMRN significantly improved vascular suppression in volunteers and patients (both p  < 0.001). The ceMRN significantly enhanced nerve visualization of each segment (all p  < 0.05) and diagnostic confidence in volunteers and patients (both p  < 0.05). The ceMRN improved lesion conspicuity ( p  = 0.003) in patients. Quantitatively, ceMRN had significantly higher CRs of nerve versus subcutaneous fat, bone marrow, and vessels and CNR of nerve versus vessel than ncMRN (all p  < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The ceMRN significantly improves the visualization of peripheral nerves and pathology in the wrist and palm by robustly suppressing the signals of fat, bone marrow, and especially vessels in volunteers and patients.