Ultrasound of the sural nerve : normal anatomy on cadaveric dissection and case series.

Belsack, Dries; Jager, Tjeerd; Scafoglieri, Aldo; Vanderdood, Kurt; Van Hedent, Eddy; Vanhoenacker, Filip; Marcelis, Stefaan; De Maeseneer, Michel

doi:10.1016/J.EJRAD.2013.05.014

Title

Ultrasound of the sural nerve : normal anatomy on cadaveric dissection and case series.

Author

Belsack, Dries

Jager, Tjeerd

Scafoglieri, Aldo

Vanderdood, Kurt

Van Hedent, Eddy

Vanhoenacker, Filip

Marcelis, Stefaan

De Maeseneer, Michel

Abstract

tThe sural nerve is a small sensory nerve innervating the lateral aspect of the ankle and foot. Clinicalsymptoms of pathology may present as atypical sensory changes in this region. We present the normalanatomy and ultrasound technique for examination of the sural nerve based on an anatomical dissection,as well as imaging in a normal volunteer. We also present a case series (n = 10) of different conditionsof the sural nerve that we encountered based on a review of interesting cases from 4 institutions. Thepathological conditions included neuropathy related to stripping or venous laser surgery, compressionby abscess, Lyme disease, nerve tumors, traumatic transsection, and encasement by fibrous plaque andedema. Ultrasound with its exquisite resolution is the preferred imaging method for examining the suralnerve in patients with unexplained sensory changes at the lateral aspect of the ankle and foot.

Language

English

Source (journal)

European journal of radiology. - Stuttgart

Publication

Stuttgart : 2013

ISSN

0720-048X

DOI

10.1016/J.EJRAD.2013.05.014

Volume/pages

(2013) , p. 1-6