A 15-year-old boy with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) was referred to us for central venous catheter insertion, and on ultrasound of the neck, he was found to have extensive involvement of the brachial plexus due to the nerve sheath tumour. Multiple hypoechogenic lesions resembling the internal jugular vein and internal carotid artery were visualised and could be differentiated from the vessels by Doppler ultrasound. The importance of analyzing sonographic images of nerve sheath tumours, which can mimic blood vessels, and the importance of Doppler ultrasound for guiding central venous catheters in such patients to avoid nerve injury are discussed in this case report.
Keywords: Neurofibromatosis, ultrasound, central venous cannulation