Anatomic study of the superficial peroneal nerve using sonography.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of our study was to show that sonography allows precise assessment of the location and course of the superficial peroneal nerve and of its relationship with other structures.


METHODS
This study, initially undertaken in cadavers, was followed by sonographic studies of 30 healthy adult volunteers (60 legs) by two radiologists in consensus. The location and course of the superficial peroneal nerve and its relationship with the adjacent anatomic structures were analyzed.


RESULTS
The entire course of the superficial peroneal nerve could be identified using sonography. The level at which the superficial peroneal nerve emerges between the peroneus longus and extensor digitorum longus muscles and the level at which it pierces the crural fascia and becomes subcutaneous were found to be highly variable. The superficial peroneal nerve was found to be located in the anterior compartment in 26.7% of the legs and to divide before piercing the crural fascia in 6.7% of the legs.


CONCLUSIONS
The superficial peroneal nerve can be clearly depicted by sonography. Knowledge of the nerve's precise location, which may show individual variations, may have useful clinical applications.
Canella
Clarissa
C
Laboratoire d'Anatomie, Faculté de Médecine, Lille, France. clacanella@yahoo.com.br
Demondion
Xavier
X
Guillin
Raphael
R
Boutry
Nathalie
N
Peltier
Johan
J
Cotten
Anne
A
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D010543:Peroneal Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult