title: High-resolution sonography of the superficial radial nerve with two case reports.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to find out whether high-resolution sonography can be used to examine the superficial radial nerve. The sonographic appearance of the superficial radial nerve was assessed in 20 control subjects and the cross-sectional area could be measured in all subjects. The mean cross-sectional area of the superficial radial nerve in the control subjects was 2 mm(2) (SD 0.5 mm(2), range 1-3 mm(2)). Moreover, two patients with a superficial radial neuropathy and abnormal high-resolution sonography are reported. One patient had an enlarged nerve after trauma, which was probably a neuroma. The other patient had a histologically proven Schwannoma of the superficial radial nerve. The superficial radial nerve, although small in size, can be visualized by high-resolution sonography using specific landmarks. High-resolution sonography can be useful to assess the underlying cause of superficial radial nerve pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiology, St. Elisabeth Hospital, PO Box 90151, 5000 LC Tilburg, The Netherlands. l.visser@elisabeth.nl
authors.forename: Leo H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Visser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009442:Neurilemmoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D010524:Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D011826:Radial Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries; D020425:Radial Neuropathy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography