Simoni Paolo, Ghassemi Merhan, Le Vinh Dat-Minh, Boitsios Grammatina
Reine Fabiola Children's University Hospital, Université Libre de Bruxelles, BE.
J Belg Soc Radiol. 2017 Dec 16;101(Suppl 2):20. doi: 10.5334/jbr-btr.1418.
Ultrasound (US) allows a reliable examination of the brachial plexus except for the spinal nerve roots, located deep in the neuro-foramina, beyond the shadowing of the transverse processes of the vertebral bodies. All the other fascicles of the brachial plexus can be mapped by US from the roots of the spinal cervical nerves, from C5 to T1 to the branches at level of the axillary region. US can be considered as an alternative to Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) when MRI is contraindicated, not readily available or in case of claustrophobia. US can be used for the assessment of the brachial plexus in case of trauma, tumours and fibrosis induced by radiation oncology treatments. US is also a valuable tool to perform imaging-guided blocks of the brachial plexus. A prerequisite for a reliable US examination of the brachial plexus is knowledge of its complex anatomy. The operator is also required to learn the appropriate US views in order to have an optimal depiction of the brachial plexus, especially the areas where the bone structure's interposition makes the visualisation of the brachial plexus more arduous. The aim of this review is to provide the reader with the basics principles of the US normal anatomy and technique for a reliable mapping of the brachial plexus.
超声（US）能够对臂丛神经进行可靠的检查，但位于神经孔深处、椎体横突后方阴影之外的脊神经根除外。臂丛神经的所有其他束支都可以通过超声从颈脊髓神经的根部（从C5到T1）一直追踪到腋窝区域水平的分支。当磁共振成像（MRI）存在禁忌证、难以获得或患者有幽闭恐惧症时，超声可被视为一种替代方法。超声可用于评估创伤、肿瘤以及放射肿瘤治疗引起的纤维化情况下的臂丛神经。超声也是进行臂丛神经成像引导阻滞的重要工具。对臂丛神经进行可靠的超声检查的一个前提是了解其复杂的解剖结构。操作人员还需要学习合适的超声视图，以便对臂丛神经进行最佳显示，尤其是在骨骼结构的遮挡使臂丛神经可视化更加困难的区域。本综述的目的是为读者提供超声正常解剖结构和技术的基本原理，以便对臂丛神经进行可靠的定位。
