Structure of the brachial plexus root and adjacent regions displayed by ultrasound imaging  

作　　者：Zhengyi Li Xun Xia Xiaoming Rong Yamei Tang Dachuan Xu 

机构地区：[1]Institute of Clinical Anatomy, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, Guangdong Province, China [2]Department of Ultrasound, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518035, Guangdong Province, China [3]Department of Neurology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510120, Guangdong Province, China

出　　处：《Neural Regeneration Research》2012年第26期2044-2050,共7页中国神经再生研究（英文版）

基　　金：funded by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Higher Learning Schools of Youth Teacher Education Program of Sun Yat-sen University in 2009,No.09YKPY05;the Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province,No.S2011010004708

摘　　要：Brachial plexuses of 110 healthy volunteers were examined using high resolution color Doppler ultrasound. Ultrasonic characteristics and anatomic variation in the intervertebral foramen, interscalene, supraclavicular and infraclavicular, as well as the axillary brachial plexus were investigated. Results confirmed that the normal brachial plexus on cross section exhibited round or elliptic hypoechoic texture. Longitudinal section imaging showed many parallel linear hypo-moderate echoes, with hypo-echo. The transverse processes of the seventh cervical vertebra, the scalene space, the subclavian artery and the deep cervical artery are important markers in an examination. The display rates for the interscalene, and supraclavicular and axillary brachial plexuses were 100% each, while that for the infraclavicular brachial plexus was 97%. The region where the normal brachial plexus root traversed the intervertebral foramen exhibited a regular hypo-echo. The display rate for the C5-7 nerve roots was 100%, while those for C8 and T1 were 83% and 68%, respectively. A total of 20 of the 110 subjects underwent cervical CT scan. High-frequency ultrasound can clearly display the outline of the transverse processes of the vertebrae, which were consistent with CT results. These results indicate that high-frequency ultrasound provides a new method for observing the morphology of the brachial plexus. The C~ vertebra is a marker for identifying the position of brachial plexus nerve roots.Brachial plexuses of 110 healthy volunteers were examined using high resolution color Doppler ultrasound. Ultrasonic characteristics and anatomic variation in the intervertebral foramen, interscalene, supraclavicular and infraclavicular, as well as the axillary brachial plexus were investigated. Results confirmed that the normal brachial plexus on cross section exhibited round or elliptic hypoechoic texture. Longitudinal section imaging showed many parallel linear hypo-moderate echoes, with hypo-echo. The transverse processes of the seventh cervical vertebra, the scalene space, the subclavian artery and the deep cervical artery are important markers in an examination. The display rates for the interscalene, and supraclavicular and axillary brachial plexuses were 100% each, while that for the infraclavicular brachial plexus was 97%. The region where the normal brachial plexus root traversed the intervertebral foramen exhibited a regular hypo-echo. The display rate for the C5-7 nerve roots was 100%, while those for C8 and T1 were 83% and 68%, respectively. A total of 20 of the 110 subjects underwent cervical CT scan. High-frequency ultrasound can clearly display the outline of the transverse processes of the vertebrae, which were consistent with CT results. These results indicate that high-frequency ultrasound provides a new method for observing the morphology of the brachial plexus. The C~ vertebra is a marker for identifying the position of brachial plexus nerve roots.

关 键 词：brachial plexus ULTRASOUND anatomical characteristics CT nerve root brachial plexus block neuralregeneration 

分 类 号：Q42[生物学—神经生物学] S857.14[生物学—生理学]