• Junichiro Kuga, Akemi Hironaka, Kazuhide Ochi, Takamichi Sugimoto, Masahiro Nakamori, Tomohisa Nezu, and Hirofumi Maruyama.
• Department of Clinical Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Hiroshima University Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima, Japan.
• Muscle Nerve. 2021 Jun 1; 63 (6): 890-896.

Introduction/AimsCross-sectional area (CSA) reference values using ultrasonography vary widely for lower extremity peripheral nerves. In addition, there is a lack of data on the muscular branches of the tibial nerve and the anatomical variations of the sural nerve. We aimed to evaluate the ultrasonographic reference values for lower extremity peripheral nerves considering different anatomical variations and physical factors.MethodsThe CSA of the lower extremity nerve was measured at 10 sites. In addition to establishing reference values, differences in the CSA owing to anatomical variations were verified. The relationship between CSA and physical factors, such as age, height, weight, body mass index, and ankle circumference, was also examined.ResultsA total of 100 healthy Japanese volunteers were recruited. The mean CSA of the sural nerve significantly differed depending on its formation pattern (1.4-1.8 mm2 ). The mean decreases in CSAs from the proximal to distal tibial and fibular nerves within the popliteal region significantly differed based on the fine branching pattern. The maximum value of the mean decreases in CSAs in the tibial and fibular nerves reached 7.2 and 2.5 mm2 , respectively. With respect to physical factors, age and ankle circumferences were associated with CSA at several measurement sites.DiscussionFine branching from the tibial and fibular nerves and sural nerve formation may affect CSA measurements. The establishment of accurate CSA reference values requires consideration of anatomical variations in the peripheral nerves of the lower extremity.© 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

24 keywords...

hide…