Reproducibility of the SPI-US protocol for ultrasound diameter measurements of the Posterior Circumflex Humeral Artery and Deep Brachial Artery: an inter-rater reliability study.

Objectives: Elite overhead athletes are at risk of posterior circumflex humeral artery (PCHA) degeneration, aneurysm formation and thrombosis. Identification of the proximal PCHA and the nearby originating deep brachial artery (DBA) can be a challenge, even among experienced sonographers. The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy and precision of a newly designed standardized ultrasound (US) protocol (SPI-US) for assessment of the PCHA and DBA.