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Cross-Sectional Imaging in Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

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Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

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Abstract

Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is the clinical syndrome resulting from symptomatic compression of the neurovascular bundle at the thoracic outlet, and is subclassified as neurogenic, venous, or arterial depending on the structure involved. Although primarily a clinical diagnosis, cross-sectional imaging plays an important supplemental role in TOS by identifying the site of involvement, depicting associated complications, revealing an underlying anatomic abnormality, and excluding alternative diagnoses. Imaging findings of NTOS have been described, although the role of cross-sectional imaging in this setting is primarily to exclude concurrent vascular TOS and identify the presence of an anatomic abnormality. Magnetic resonance (MR) and computed tomographic (CT) imaging serve as workhorse techniques, as they allow for imaging in multiple positions and readily depict findings of TOS and associated complications. MR imaging is the preferred cross-sectional imaging test in patients with suspected TOS given its lack of ionizing radiation, but CT is used in patients who cannot undergo contrast-enhanced MRI.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO, USA

    Daniel R. Ludwig, Sanjeev Bhalla & Constantine A. Raptis

Authors
  1. Daniel R. Ludwig
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  2. Sanjeev Bhalla
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  3. Constantine A. Raptis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Daniel R. Ludwig .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Vascular Surgeon, Charleston, SC, USA

    Karl A. Illig

  2. Center for Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and Section of Vascular Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Saint Louis, MO, USA

    Robert W. Thompson

  3. Wake Forest Baptist Health, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Atrium Health, Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Winston-Salem, NC, USA

    Julie Ann Freischlag

  4. Department of Thoracic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital Department of Thoracic Surgery, Boston, MA, USA

    Dean M. Donahue

  5. Neurological Associates, The Interventional Group, Santa Monica, CA, USA

    Sheldon E. Jordan

  6. Division of Vascular Surgery and Endovascular Therapy, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Ying Wei Lum

  7. UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Hugh A. Gelabert

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Ludwig, D.R., Bhalla, S., Raptis, C.A. (2021). Cross-Sectional Imaging in Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. In: Illig, K.A., et al. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55073-8_18

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-55073-8_18

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-55072-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-55073-8

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