Diagnosis of Loge-de-Guyon syndrome | Lodge de Guyon syndrome

Diagnosis of Loge-de-Guyon syndrome

The patient’s medical history (questioning of the patient about complaints and history) and clinical examination (see symptoms) provide the indicative signs. An electrophysiological examination in the sense of measuring the nerve conduction velocity (NLG) ensures the diagnosis (slowed NLG over affected area). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to identify a structural cause (e.g. a ganglion) of such damage, but is not part of routine diagnostics.

Nerve conduction velocity is measured to assess the functional efficiency of a nerve in the body. At two points, electrodes are placed on the skin above the corresponding nerve or, through minimal punctures, directly on the nerve.These will then measure how fast the nerve sends information from the central nervous system to the muscles, or how fast it sends information about sensitivity and pain from the “periphery” back to the central nervous system. If this conduction speed is below certain standards, it can be assumed that the corresponding nerve is damaged.

Since the Loge de Guyon syndrome is also based on nerve compression, one can try to diagnose it with a reduced nerve conduction velocity. However, the sole measurement of the nerve conduction velocity in this case is not the gold standard of diagnostics nowadays, but an MRI of the wrist should be done additionally to exclude space demands.