Abstract: Objective　To accurately localize the body surface location and depth of nerve entry points (NEPs) of the anterior leg muscles.　Methods　Twenty chinese adult cadavers were used. The curved line close to skin connecting the lateral femoral epicondyle and the lateral malleolus of fibula was designed as the longitudinal reference line (L line). A curved line connecting the lateral femoral epicondyle and medial femoral epicondyle was designed as the horizontal reference line (H line). Following dissection, the NEPs were labeled with barium sulfate and then subjected to spiral computed tomography scanning and three-dimensional reconstruction. Syngo system was used to identify the projection points (points P and P') of the NEPs on anterior and posterior skin surface of the leg, the location (points PL and PH) of point P projected on the L and H lines and the depth of NEPs.　Results　There was a constant NEP in tibialis anterior, extensor hallucis longus and extensor digitorum longus muscles, and the points PL were located at (23.63±2.43) %, (52.46±2.94) % and (36.07±2.99) % of the L line, respectively; the points PH were at (27.27±2.58) %, (34.41±2.38) % and (32.11±2.52) % of the H line, respectively; the depth of NEPs were at (45.32±3.06)%, (36.20±2.84)% and (33.72±3.18)% of the PP' line, respectively.　Conclusions　The identification of the surface position and depth of these NEPs will provide morphological guidance for improving the localizing efficiency of extramuscular neurolysis and the efficacy during anterior leg muscle spasticity.

Key words: Anterior leg muscles, 　Spasticity, 　Nerve entry point, 　Spiral CT, 　Localization