OBJECTIVE We examined selected peripheral and spinal nerves of children aged between two and seven years. METHOD High resolution ultrasound was performed in 116 children (2-7 years of age) at 19 predefined landmarks of median, ulnar, tibial, fibular, sural and radial nerves, the vagus as well as cervical spinal nerve 5 and 6. Further, side-to-side measuring and grey-scale analysis was done at selected nerve sites. RESULTS Nerves of children were on average smaller than those of adults. Nerve growth correlates significantly with age in all nerves, the mean values were similar in the age of two to four years and five to seven years. Body mass index (BMI) and gender showed moderate effect at some nerve sites, however not uniformly in all. A side-to-side difference of up to 30% in median, and up to 20% in tibial nerve can occur in healthy individuals. Grey-scale analysis for echointensity has been performed in median, ulnar and tibial nerves. CONCLUSION Nerve size increases with age, BMI and gender have moderate effect. A side-to-side-difference of up to 30% can exist. SIGNIFICANCE Reference values of nerve cross-sectional area, side-to-side-difference and echo intensity are necessary to detect nerve pathology in children as well as in adults.

中文翻译：

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2 至 7 岁儿童的神经超声参考数据

目的 我们检查了 2 至 7 岁儿童的选定外周神经和脊神经。方法 对 116 名儿童（2-7 岁）在正中神经、尺神经、胫神经、腓神经、腓神经和桡神经、迷走神经以及颈脊神经 5 和 6 的 19 个预定标志处进行高分辨率超声检查。此外，侧在选定的神经部位进行侧向测量和灰度分析。结果 儿童的神经平均比成人小。神经生长与所有神经的年龄显着相关，两到四岁和五到七岁的平均值相似。身体质量指数 (BMI) 和性别在某些神经部位显示出中等影响，但并非完全一致。健康个体的中位数和胫神经之间的差异可能高达 30%，而胫神经的差异可能高达 20%。已经在正中神经、尺神经和胫神经中进行了回声强度的灰度分析。结论 神经大小随年龄、BMI 和性别的增加而增加具有中等影响。可能存在高达 30% 的左右差异。意义 神经横截面积、左右差和回声强度的参考值对于检测儿童和成人的神经病理是必要的。