• Clarissa Canella, Xavier Demondion, Arnaud Delebarre, Antoine Moraux, Hervé Cotten, and Anne Cotten.
• Service de Radiologie et d'Imagerie Musculosquelettique, Hôpital Roger Salengro, Lille 59037, France. clacanella@yahoo.com.br
• Eur Radiol. 2010 Mar 1;20(3):659-65.

PurposeTo demonstrate whether ultrasonography may allow a precise assessment of the course and relations of the phrenic nerve in its cervical portion.MethodsThis study, initially undertaken in five cadavers, was followed by high-resolution ultrasonographic study in 20 volunteers (40 nerves) by two radiologists in consensus. The location, course and relations of the phrenic nerve to the adjacent anatomical structures were analysed.ResultsThe phrenic nerve could be nicely identified through the majority of its course by high-resolution ultrasonography. Useful anatomic landmarks for the detection of the nerve could be defined; these include the transverse cervical and ascending cervical arteries. Some anatomical variations were observed.ConclusionKnowledge of the nerve's precise location, which may demonstrate individual variations, may have useful clinical applications.

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