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Imaging of the Vasa Nervorum Using Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound
Adnan I Qureshi1,2, Muhammad A Saleem1, Asad Ahrar1
1Zeenat Qureshi Stroke Institute, St. Cloud, MN.
Introduction:
We describe the use of intravenous contrast-enhanced ultrasonography to study vasa nervorum using contrast-enhanced ultrasound.
Methods:
We imaged the median, femoral, or sciatic nerves in 4 patients in longitudinal plane using high-resolution ultrasound after intravenous bolus of activated Perflutren lipid microspheres. The images were acquired as photopic images (in brown color) in real time using 2-dimensional B-Flow mode scan within a selected region of interest.
Results:
The vasa nervorum was seen as focal ovoid enhancement along either the superior and inferior aspects of the nerve most pronounced during arterial phase (peak enhancement) in all 4 patients. The fluctuating intensity of enchancement during cardiac cycle confirmed the arterial origin of enhacement. Punctate, linear, or diffuse enhancement was also seen along the trunk of the nerve.
Conclusions:
We were able to identify the vasa nervorum along the outer aspect of the studied nerves using contrast-enhanced ultrasound.
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