EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF THE ANCONEUS EPITROCHLEARIS MUSCLE ON THE ULNAR NERVE IN HEALTHY SUBJECTS WITH ELBOW MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING

Objective: To determine the effect of anconeus epitrochlearis muscle on the ulnar nerve area and signal intensity in patients without cubital tunnel syndrome by magnetic resonance imaging. Material and Methods: The elbow magnetic resonance images between January 2020 and December 2022 were evaluated retrospectively. Twenty patients with anconeus epitrochlearis muscle who were clinically and electromyographically shown not to have cubital tunnel syndrome were included in the study. The control group consisted of 20 age, gender and side-matched elbow magnetic resonance images without bone, ligament, and tendon pathology. The ulnar nerve area and intensity, anconeus epitrochlearis muscle area were measured in the axial slice where the anconeus epitrochlearis muscle area was the largest and the findings were statistically compared with the control group. Results: The mean age in the anconeus epitrochlearis muscle group was 42.1±14.1 years (20-68 years). No significant difference in ulnar nerve area between the groups with and without anconeus epitrochlearis muscle was observed (Anconeus epitrochlearis group:10.3±3.4 mm2, control:9.4±2.7 mm2 p=0.376). There was no correlation between the ulnar nerve area and the anconeus epitrochlearis muscle area (r=-0.026, p=0.912). No significant difference in ulnar nerve signal intensity between the two groups was noted (p=0.317). Conclusion: The anconeus epitrochlearis muscle had not a significant effect on the ulnar nerve area and intensity.