title: Internal jugular veins must be measured before catheterization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study objective is to determine the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the right and left internal jugular vein (IJV) in supine position in healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a prospective, nonrandomized study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The setting is a university hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients are 185 consenting healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  B-mode ultrasonography examinations of the right and left IJV were performed with the use of a linear 14-MHz transducer at the level of the cricoid cartilage. The CSA of the examined vessels was measured in a supine position.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The CSA on both sides differed by up to 850%. There were no statistically significant differences between CSA of IJVs in men and women. The CSA of the IJV on the right side was significantly greater than on the left side. The right IJV was more often classified as the "dominant" vessel (CSA being more than twice as large as the opposite side). A "small" vessel (CSA ≤ 0.4 cm(2)) was found in 54 cases (14.6%). In 9 subjects (4.9%), they were detected bilaterally.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CSA of IJVs varies widely. Although the CSA was found to be often greater on the right than on the left side, a "small" vessel may occur on both sides.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Bialystok Children's Clinical Hospital, Bialystok, Poland. Electronic address: dorotaczyzewska@o2.pl.
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Czyzewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ustymowicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, Medical University of Bialystok, Bialystok, Poland.
authors.forename: Juliusz
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kosel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002405:Catheterization, Central Venous / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007601:Jugular Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012016:Reference Values; D016683:Supine Position; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cannulation; Internal jugular vein; Ultrasound