Nerve Ultrasound
Contact Information
Phone: 617-726-3644
Fax: 617-726-2958
Boston Location
The Neuromuscular Diagnostic Center
165 Cambridge Street, 8th floor (Suite 820)
Boston, MA 02114
Waltham Location
Mass General Brigham Healthcare Center (Waltham)
52 Second Avenue
Suite 300
Waltham, MA 02451
Explore This Procedure
Ultrasound of peripheral nerve and muscle may be performed in conjunction with electrodiagnostic testing to provide added structural information about nerve and muscle. There are several areas of added value in addition to it being a painless study. Ultrasound can provide localizing information in mononeuropathies or provide greater insight into the nature of an abnormality causing a known focal neuropathy like carpal tunnel syndrome, ulnar neuropathy at the wrist or elbow or peroneal neuropathy.
Sometimes, nerve ultrasound can be used to better understand generalized neuropathies, particularly if an autoimmune or genetic cause is suspected. Ultrasound can be used in isolation or in combination to complement other kinds of imaging, depending on the clinical scenario.
How to Prepare
To prepare for your ultrasound, you can wear comfortable clothes, or you choose to change into a gown. If the arm or leg is being examined, we suggest a tank top or shorts respectively.
What to Expect
The sonographer will apply gel to the area being imaged and glide the ultrasound probe along the surface of the skin to generate the ultrasound images.Related Tests
Your doctor may also prescribe these other tests for neurological conditions.
Autonomic Testing
These tests monitor sweat, heart rate and blood pressure response to different tasks
Muscle Biopsy
In this test, a doctor uses a needle to remove a small amount of muscle for later study
Electromyography (EMG)
EMG measures the electrical activity of your nerves and muscles