Anatomical features of the superficial temporal artery in hemorrhagic moyamoya disease based on CT angiography

CTA Study of Ruptured Aneurysms of the Posterior Communicating Artery

Background. Only a few reported studies have used computed tomography angiography (CTA) to image ruptured aneurysms at the junction of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and posterior communicating artery (PcomA) in the context of the adjacent arteries. Therefore, we performed such a study using a GE Workstation. Methods. The parameters of each aneurysm and its adjacent arteries were measured. Then, statistical assessments were performed to compare the parameters of the aneurysm side and the lesion-free (control) side. Results. Sixty-three patients were included in this study. The average age was $62.1\pm 11.0$ years, and the ratio of males to females was 0.8 : 1. The measurement results showed that the mean aneurysmal height was $5.2\pm 2.3$  mm, the mean width was $4.7\pm 2.2$ mm, and the mean neck width was $4.5\pm 1.9$ mm. On the aneurysm side, the intradural ICA diameter was $4.34\pm 0.90$  mm, and the diameter of the ICA at its termination was $3.55\pm 0.72$ mm. A fetal-type PcomA was found in 52.4% of aneurysms. The other measured parameters were also provided. Statistical results showed that the height of the aneurysm was larger than the width ( $P<0.05$ ). The intradural ICA diameter, the ICA diameter at termination, the intradural ICA length, and the angle between the ICA and PcomA were larger in the aneurysm group than in the control group ( $P<0.05$ ). Conclusions. This CTA study showed that the ruptured PcomA aneurysm was often wide-necked, nonspherical, and approximately 5 mm in size. In the presence of a ruptured PcomA aneurysm, the affected intradural ICA became thicker and longer than the contralateral control ICA, and the aneurysm significantly reduced the angle between the ICA and the PcomA.

Anatomical features of the occipital artery on CTA and differences between patients with/without stenosis and occlusion of the internal carotid artery

The understanding of the basic anatomy of the occipital artery (OA) is crucial, and computed tomography angiography is an effective tool for this purpose. In the present study, a comparison between healthy subjects and patients with internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis and occlusion was made. The following parameters were measured: Age, sex, diameters and lengths of the OA in different locations, distance from the edge of the foramen magnum to the OA and the distance from the midline to the OA at the level of the superior nuchal line. A total of 205 participants who met the inclusion criteria were selected for further investigation. In addition, 50 healthy subjects (100 sides, left and/or right) were selected as the control group. A total of 155 patients (180 sides, left and/or right) were selected as the stenosis and occlusion groups, including the mild and moderate ICA stenosis group (50 sides, left and/or right), severe ICA stenosis group (80 sides, left and/or right) and the ICA occlusion group (50 sides, left and right). General information, measured parameters and statistical analysis results are provided for these groups. No significant differences were observed in the anatomical parameters of the OA among these groups. Thus, in addition to providing anatomical data, the present study demonstrates that stenosis and the occlusion of the ICA do not significantly alter the anatomy of the OA.

Imaging features of internal maxillary artery and extracranial middle meningeal artery and their relationships on head CTA

BACKGROUND

The internal maxillary artery and extracranial middle meningeal artery are vitally important. Anatomical studies of the relationship of between them using computed tomography angiography are rare.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study assessed 75 cases involving 150 sides. And the vascular diameters and lengths of the internal maxillary artery and middle meningeal artery were measured using a GE workstation. The distance between the zygomatic arch midpoint and the internal maxillary artery, the angle between the internal maxillary artery and middle meningeal artery were measured, and the middle meningeal artery branch and internal maxillary artery aneurysm were recorded. The internal maxillary artery course classifications were recorded. All of these parameters were statistically analysed.

RESULTS

Ages ranged from 18 to 72 (average 40.2) years, and there were 30 women (40%, 30/75) and 45 men (60%, 45/75). Internal maxillary artery length from its origin to middle meningeal artery origin was 1.37 ± 0.59 cm. The extracranial middle meningeal artery length was 1.79 ± 0.48 cm. The vessel diameters of internal maxillary artery origin, middle meningeal artery origin, and middle meningeal artery at the skull base were 2.93 ± 0.52 mm, 1.58 ± 0.43 mm, and 1.33 ± 0.43 mm, respectively. Among the 150 sides of internal maxillary artery course type, there were 138 superficial (92%, 138/150) and 12 (8%, 12/150) deep course cases. The angle between the internal maxillary artery and middle meningeal artery was 116.2 ± 35.76°.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study elucidate the imaging features of the internal maxillary artery and extracranial middle meningeal artery and their relationships, which are helpful for the extracranial-intracranial bypass and endovascular treatment via the internal maxillary artery and middle meningeal artery.

CT angiographic study of the cerebral deep veins around the vein of Galen

Research on the anatomy of cerebral deep veins (CDVs) around the vein of Galen (VG) is very important and has fundamental clinical significance. Large-scale anatomical studies of CDVs using computed tomography angiography (CTA) are rarely reported. A retrospective study of the CDVs around the VG was conducted in Chinese patients of Han nationality. One hundred cases were included in the final analysis. The patients were aged from 17 to 78 years (mean: 42.3 years). Also, 46% of the patients were female. The diameter of the internal cerebral vein (ICV) at its beginning and termination points ranged from 0.4 to 2.8 mm (1.49 ± 0.39 mm) and 0.4 to 3.5 mm (2.05 ± 0.47 mm), respectively. There was statistical significance regarding the diameter of the ICV at its beginning and termination points (P <0.01). The ICV length ranged from 28.5 to 47.9 mm (36.86 ± 3.74 mm). The length of the straight sinus (SS) ranged from 30.2 to 57.8 mm (43.6 ± 6.37 mm). The length of the VG ranged from 1.5 to 41.8 mm (9.30 ± 4.76 mm). The angle at the VG and SS transition area ranged from 25.4 to 110.6° (77.2 ± 18.0°). This study was a meaningful attempt to conduct anatomical research of CDVs using CTA. Preoperative familiarity with the normal venous structure and its variation around the VG would be helpful for endovascular treatment.