ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate morphologic variations of circle of Willis in healthy adults using 3D-TOF MR angiography in medical examination and its clinical significance. Methods:To analyze the characteristics of the vascular morphology in 442 healthy adults of head 3D-TOF MRA in the post processing workstation retrospectively. Results: All the 442 cases, the variations of circle of Willis were found in 152,the variations of A1, A2, ACoA, PCoA, P1 were found in 76(50.00%), 23(15.13%), 7(4.61%), 101(66.45%), 68(44.74%). The variation of A1 was positively correlated with PCoA, the variation of PCoA in female was more than in male. Conclusion:Medical examination-3D-TOF MRA has important value to display morphologic variations of circle of Willis in healthy adults, which can provide important guide value in the clinical.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To describe 3D-TOF MRA features of anomalous vertebral artery(VA) and evaluate its clinical significance in healthy adults who were accepted physical examination. Methods: A total of 442 cases in which 3D-TOF MRA was performed were retrospectively reviewed to discuss the incidence and relationship between VA origin and course variation. Results: Among this 442 cases, the incidence of origin variation was 4.75%(21/442) in which all cases were unilateral(19 cases in the left and 2 cases in the right). In these cases, the anomalous VA originated from the aortic arch or the right common carotid artery. All of the 21 cases with origin variation had the aberrant entrance position into the transverse foramen (4th or 5th). The incidence of abnormal entrance position into the transverse foramen was 9.50%(42/442),of which most cases(95.24%, 40/42)were unilateral. Of 40 cases, the incidence of both sides was the same(50.00%(20/40)). Conclusion: The VA origin variation always happened in the left side, and often combined with the course variation. 3D-TOF MRA plays an important part in the detection of the anomalous vertebral artery in healthy adults. It can provide useful information for the surgery and the therapy of related diseases.