Nerves of the Thorax: Anatomy, Clinical Signs, and Imaging Findings of Pathological Conditions. 2022

Gamze Durhan, and Selin Ardalı Düzgün, and Osman Öcal, and Orhan Macit Arıyürek
Department of Radiology, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

Radiological diagnosis of thoracic nerve diseases is difficult because they are rare, and nerves cannot be seen directly on radiological images. The major nerves of the thorax can be listed as the phrenic, vagus, recurrent laryngeal, long thoracic nerve pairs, sympathetic chains, costal nerves, and brachial plexus. Diseases of thoracic nerves have various causes, including traumatic injury, neuromuscular diseases, infection, compression, radiation, drugs, and tumors. This pictorial review aims to describe the anatomic locations of the major thoracic nerves on radiological images, comprehensively describe the causes of thoracic nerve diseases and define the clinical signs and primary and secondary imaging findings of dysfunction of the thoracic nerves. This paper was designed to illustrate primary and secondary imaging findings of nerve diseases. Firstly, the normal anatomy of nerves is shown with diagrams. Secondly, we explained primary and secondary imaging features with variable radiological methods, including chest X-Ray, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography. Primary findings of nerve diseases can be detected if radiologists are familiar with the courses of the nerves on radiological images. Knowledge of the normal functions of the nerves can aid in diagnosing thoracic nerve diseases identified from secondary imaging findings such as diaphragmatic elevation, muscular atrophy, and winged scapula. It is essential to know the normal anatomy, function, and possible causes of thoracic nerve diseases to make a correct diagnosis and apply the prompt treatment.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008279 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Non-invasive method of demonstrating internal anatomy based on the principle that atomic nuclei in a strong magnetic field absorb pulses of radiofrequency energy and emit them as radiowaves which can be reconstructed into computerized images. The concept includes proton spin tomographic techniques. Chemical Shift Imaging,MR Tomography,MRI Scans,MRI, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Image,Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional,Magnetization Transfer Contrast Imaging,NMR Imaging,NMR Tomography,Tomography, NMR,Tomography, Proton Spin,fMRI,Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,Imaging, Chemical Shift,Proton Spin Tomography,Spin Echo Imaging,Steady-State Free Precession MRI,Tomography, MR,Zeugmatography,Chemical Shift Imagings,Echo Imaging, Spin,Echo Imagings, Spin,Functional MRI,Functional MRIs,Image, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, NMR,Imaging, Spin Echo,Imagings, Chemical Shift,Imagings, Spin Echo,MRI Scan,MRIs, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Images,Resonance Image, Magnetic,Scan, MRI,Scans, MRI,Shift Imaging, Chemical,Shift Imagings, Chemical,Spin Echo Imagings,Steady State Free Precession MRI
D011859 Radiography Examination of any part of the body for diagnostic purposes by means of X-RAYS or GAMMA RAYS, recording the image on a sensitized surface (such as photographic film). Radiology, Diagnostic X-Ray,Roentgenography,X-Ray, Diagnostic,Diagnostic X-Ray,Diagnostic X-Ray Radiology,X-Ray Radiology, Diagnostic,Diagnostic X Ray,Diagnostic X Ray Radiology,Diagnostic X-Rays,Radiology, Diagnostic X Ray,X Ray Radiology, Diagnostic,X Ray, Diagnostic,X-Rays, Diagnostic
D001917 Brachial Plexus The large network of nerve fibers which distributes the innervation of the upper extremity. The brachial plexus extends from the neck into the axilla. In humans, the nerves of the plexus usually originate from the lower cervical and the first thoracic spinal cord segments (C5-C8 and T1), but variations are not uncommon. Plexus, Brachial
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013909 Thorax The upper part of the trunk between the NECK and the ABDOMEN. It contains the chief organs of the circulatory and respiratory systems. (From Stedman, 25th ed) Chest,Thoraces,Chests,Thorace
D014057 Tomography, X-Ray Computed Tomography using x-ray transmission and a computer algorithm to reconstruct the image. CAT Scan, X-Ray,CT Scan, X-Ray,Cine-CT,Computerized Tomography, X-Ray,Electron Beam Computed Tomography,Tomodensitometry,Tomography, Transmission Computed,X-Ray Tomography, Computed,CAT Scan, X Ray,CT X Ray,Computed Tomography, X-Ray,Computed X Ray Tomography,Computerized Tomography, X Ray,Electron Beam Tomography,Tomography, X Ray Computed,Tomography, X-Ray Computer Assisted,Tomography, X-Ray Computerized,Tomography, X-Ray Computerized Axial,Tomography, Xray Computed,X Ray Computerized Tomography,X Ray Tomography, Computed,X-Ray Computer Assisted Tomography,X-Ray Computerized Axial Tomography,Beam Tomography, Electron,CAT Scans, X-Ray,CT Scan, X Ray,CT Scans, X-Ray,CT X Rays,Cine CT,Computed Tomography, Transmission,Computed Tomography, X Ray,Computed Tomography, Xray,Computed X-Ray Tomography,Scan, X-Ray CAT,Scan, X-Ray CT,Scans, X-Ray CAT,Scans, X-Ray CT,Tomographies, Computed X-Ray,Tomography, Computed X-Ray,Tomography, Electron Beam,Tomography, X Ray Computer Assisted,Tomography, X Ray Computerized,Tomography, X Ray Computerized Axial,Transmission Computed Tomography,X Ray Computer Assisted Tomography,X Ray Computerized Axial Tomography,X Ray, CT,X Rays, CT,X-Ray CAT Scan,X-Ray CAT Scans,X-Ray CT Scan,X-Ray CT Scans,X-Ray Computed Tomography,X-Ray Computerized Tomography,Xray Computed Tomography

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