High-frequency ultrasound (HFU) can be helpful in timely diagnosing diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), thereby enhancing clinical outcomes.

To study the relevance of HFU for timely diagnosis of DPN.

Overall, 60 diabetic patients were segregated into two groups: Group A or diabetic patients without peripheral neuropathy (30 patients); Group B or DPN groups (30 patients). Also, Group C or the healthy control group had 30 nondiabetic patients. The average age of these patients was 56.09 ± 12.66 years.

The cross-sectional area of the right upper limb median nerve (MN) at various locations - MN1, MN2, MN3, MN4, MN5, MN6, and MN7 was evaluated. The ultrasound imaging features of the MN like internal echo, core structure, boundary, epineurium, and blood flow were recorded.

The cross-sectional area, width, and thickness of the MN were increased in group A than group C (with considerable changes at MN1, MN4, and MN7) and in group B than group C (with considerable changes at all 7 sites). At the MN7, the cross-sectional area had the maximum diagnostic precision for DPN in group B.

MN had lost the core sieve mesh structure and displayed decreased echo, an incomplete blood flow signal, and dense epineurium in patients in the DPN group as per the ultrasound analysis. DPN groups had a significant correlation observed between cross-sectional area and motor and F wave mean latency.

Timely diagnosis of DPN is crucial to confirm a good clinical outcome. The cross-sectional area of the median nerve displayed positive and negative correlations with electroneurophysiologic factors in DPN patients, implying that HFU can to a certain magnitude expose changes in the motor and sensory nerve conduction and F wave of nerves.