Ulnar Neuropathy at the Elbow: From Ultrasound Scanning to Treatment.

This article shows that ultrasound is highly useful in ulnar neuropathy at the elbow because it can directly assess the nerve, identify swelling, reveal compression sites, and test nerve instability during elbow movement in real time. It is especially valuable because it combines structural imaging with dynamic assessment and can also guide safer, more accurate injections.

Interesting highlights:

• Dynamic ultrasound is presented as the gold standard for checking whether the ulnar nerve subluxes or dislocates during elbow flexion.

• Measuring nerve cross-sectional area helps diagnosis; a cutoff around 10 mm² at the medial epicondyle is highlighted, while larger values may suggest more severe disease.

• Ultrasound can detect important causes that may be missed otherwise, such as ganglion, heterotopic ossification, accessory muscle, scar tissue, or aberrant veins.

Who is this article most useful for?
Clinicians performing nerve or MSK ultrasound, sports and rehabilitation physicians, radiologists, neurologists, and clinicians managing cubital tunnel syndrome.