الفهرس 
ANATOMY OF THE BRACHIAL PLEXUSOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
The definitive diagnosis of most abnormalities of the brachial plexus is now obtained with imaging studies. Diagnostic questions regarding the brachial plexus arise from the occurrence of symptoms consistent with brachial plexopathy or the presence of pathological lesion located in proximity to the course of the brachial plexus. Either intrinsic neural lesions or extrinsic lesions adjacent to the course of the plexus may be responsible for brachial plexus symptoms.
Brachial plexopathies are a common diagnostic problem and imaging the brachial plexus is challenging because of its complex anatomy and wide variety of pathology that can affect it.
A variety of imaging modalities have been used in the past for assessment of brachial plexopathies including conventional imaging techniques, cervical myelography, CT myelography, ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging. Conventional imaging techniques can be useful in the detection of associated conditions (First rib or clavicle fractures, etc) but they cannot visualize brachial plexus structures directly.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can fully assess the cervical spinal cord and origin of the nerve roots . Thanks to its multiplanarity and high contrast resolution, it allows the direct visualization of all components of the brachial plexus from the central nerve roots to the axillary cords. The multiple imaging planes afford the capability to examine the roots in transverse plane and trunks and cords in coronal or sagittal planes. It also can provide definitive assessment of soft tissue abnormalities that might occur along the course of brachial plexus.