• Maria Rasenack, Bernhard F Décard, Sabine Schädelin, Alexander Grimm, Dirk Fischer, and Patricia Hafner.
• Department of Neurology, Basel University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland.
• BMJ Open. 2016 Dec 9; 6 (12): e014662.

BackgroundHigh-resolution ultrasonography is a new and promising technique to evaluate peripheral and spinal nerves. Its validity as a diagnostic tool in neurological diseases has been demonstrated in adults. Up to now no reference values have been published in children and adolescents although this technique would be ideal in this population as it is fast and non-invasive.Methods/DesignOur aim is to generate ultrasonographic reference values for several peripheral nerves (median, ulnar, radial, tibial, sural, peroneal and tibial nerve) as well as for the spinal nerves C5 and C6 and the vagus nerve in children and adolescents. In an observational prospective study, we will recruit 205 children and adolescents aged between ≥2 and ≤18 years without neuromuscular symptoms/signs and without a history of neuromuscular disease. After the collection of demographic and anthropometric data (height, weight, body mass index, age, gender and handedness) and a neurologic examination, a high-resolution ultrasonography of peripheral and spinal nerves at several anatomic landmarks will be performed. These data will be used to estimate age-dependent percentile curves and to evaluate inter-rater, intrarater and interequipment reliability of the measurements.Ethics And DisseminationThis study was approved by the local ethics committee (EKNZ 2015-210). The findings from this study will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.Trial Registration NumberNCT02570802, pre-results publication.Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

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