Imaging anatomy and variation of vertebral artery and bone structure at craniocervical junction

Abstract

The objective of this article is to display the vertebral artery and bone structure at the craniocervical junction (CJVA and C(0-1-2)) with three-dimensional CT angiography (3DCTA) and identify their anatomic features and variations. Eighty-eight subjects without pathology of vertebral artery (VA) and C(0-1-2) were selected from head-neck CTA examination. 3D images were formed with volume rendering (VR) and multiplanar reconstruction (MPR). On the 3D images, CJVA and C(0-1-2) were measured, and their variations were observed. CJVA goes along C(0-1-2) with five curves, of which three curves are visibly away from C(0-1-2), one is 0.0-8.3 mm away at the second curve with 0.0-11.2 mm in width, another is 0.0-9.2 mm away at the fourth with 2.8-14.8 mm and the other is 0.0-6.2 mm away at the fifth. Statistical comparisons show that there is no significant difference in the measurements between left and right, and that the curves become smaller and farther away from C(0-1-2) with the increase of age. CJVA is not equal in size, with the biggest in the fourth curve and the smallest in the fifth. Statistical comparison shows the left CJVA is larger than the right in the fifth curve. Variations were found on CJVA in 16 cases and on C(1) in 12 cases. The anatomy and variations of CJVA and C(0-1-2) are complicated. It is of vital significance to identify their anatomic features in clinical practice.

Normal anatomy and anatomic variants of vascular foramens in the cervical vertebrae: a paleo-osteological study and review of the literature

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Variations of transverse foramens of cervical vertebrae: a 3-dimensional multidetector CT study

“…Vertebral arteries enter the TF at the C6 level (1). In previous studies, the size, number, and form variations of TFs were observed and morphometric measurements were done on dry cadaveric materials (2)(3)(4)(5)(6). In the previous studies, it was reported that multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) with 3-dimensional (3D) volume rendering (VR), multiplanar reconstruction (MPR), and maximum intensity projection (MIP) techniques has a very high sensitivity in evaluating anatomic (bony and vascular) variations and anatomic localization (7)(8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19)(20)(21).…”

Biomechanical Comparison of Occiput-C1–C2 Fixation Techniques

“…9 , 12 , 19 Moreover, many anatomical and structural variations exist in the craniovertebral junction. 20 Lee et al 21 analyzed CT scans in terms of the entry point and trajectory of C0-C1 transarticular screw and concluded that C0-C1 transarticular screw fi xation was possible in up to 98% of 126 patients. The feasibility of occipital condyle screw placement under fl uoroscopic guidance 12 or prior 3-dimensional planning 5 has been recently studied in cadaver heads.…”