Assessment of anatomic variations of the brachial artery bifurcation using vascular Doppler ultrasound: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Anatomical variations in arteries of the upper limb, such as presence of an accessory brachial artery, are common and widely described in the literature, mainly in cadaveric studies, but it is now possible to diagnose them using vascular Doppler ultrasound.

Objectives: To identify the incidence of accessory brachial artery using vascular Doppler ultrasound and compare the findings with cadaveric studies.

Methods: This was a prospective study that examined 500 upper limbs of 250 volunteers assessed with vascular Doppler ultrasound using the Sonosite Titan portable ultrasound machine.