Department of veterinary Medical Imaging, College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, South Korea.
Department of Veterinary Medical Imaging, College of Veterinary medicine and Research Institute for Veterinary Science, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.
Vet Radiol Ultrasound. 2023 Mar;64(2):322-329. doi: 10.1111/vru.13180. Epub 2022 Oct 20.
Blood supply to the peripheral nerves is essential for fulfilling their structural and functional requirements. This prospective, experimental, exploratory study aimed to assess the feasibility of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) for evaluating blood perfusion of the sciatic nerve in normal dogs. Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography examinations were performed on the bilateral sciatic nerves after bolus injection of Sonazoid™ (0.015 mL/kg) in 12 healthy Beagles for 150 s. Then, qualitative assessment of the wash-in timing, degree and enhancement patterns, and quantitative measurement of the peak intensity and time to peak intensity were performed from the sciatic nerve. The results were compared to those obtained from the adductor muscle around the nerve and caudal gluteal artery. After contrast agent injection, the sciatic nerve was enhanced at approximately 13-14 s, immediately after wash-in of the caudal gluteal artery. The peak intensity of the sciatic nerve was significantly lower than that of the caudal gluteal artery and higher than that of the adductor muscle. The time to peak intensity was significantly slower than that of the caudal gluteal artery; but was not significantly different from that of the adductor muscle. There were no significant differences in the peak intensity and time to peak intensity between the left and right sciatic nerves. These results demonstrate the feasibility of CEUS to assess blood perfusion of the sciatic nerve in healthy dogs qualitatively and quantitatively. This result from healthy dogs could serve as a reference for further studies that evaluate the sciatic nerve under pathological conditions.
外周神经的血液供应对于满足其结构和功能要求至关重要。本前瞻性、实验性、探索性研究旨在评估对比增强超声（CEUS）评估正常犬坐骨神经血液灌注的可行性。在 12 只健康比格犬双侧坐骨神经内推注 SonoVue（0.015 mL/kg）后，进行 CEUS 检查，持续 150 秒。然后，从坐骨神经进行灌注时间、程度和增强模式的定性评估，以及峰值强度和达峰时间的定量测量。将结果与神经周围内收肌和尾臀动脉的结果进行比较。在造影剂注射后，坐骨神经在大约 13-14 秒时增强，正好在尾臀动脉的早期增强之后。坐骨神经的峰值强度明显低于尾臀动脉，高于内收肌。达峰时间明显慢于尾臀动脉，但与内收肌无显著差异。左右坐骨神经的峰值强度和达峰时间无显著差异。这些结果表明 CEUS 可定性和定量评估健康犬坐骨神经的血液灌注。这些来自健康犬的结果可以作为进一步研究在病理条件下评估坐骨神经的参考。
