Ansa cervicalis: a comprehensive review of its anatomy, variations, pathology, and surgical applications / 대한해부학회지

The ansa cervicalis is a neural loop in the neck formed by connecting the superior root from the cervical spinal nerves (C1–2) and the inferior root descending from C2–C3. It has various anatomical variations and can be an important acknowledgment in specific operations of the neck region. This is a review the anatomy, variations, pathology and clinical applications of the ansa cervicalis.

Bilateral Mirror Image Cervical Neurofibroma in an Adult with Neurofibromatosis Type 1

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterised by various phenotypic features like hyperpigmented spots, neurofibromas, Lisch nodules, skeletal abnormalities and tendency to develop neoplasms. Only few cases of Non-Familial Spinal Neurofibromatosis-1 (Non-FSNF1) have been described in literature with tumors involving the spinal roots at every level being even rarer. We reported an interesting case of bilateral symmetrical cervical neurofibroma with multiple spinal neurofibromas appearing as mirror image on CT, associated with non familial NF-1 as a rare presentation in a 25-year-old adult male.

Magnetic Resonance Neurography with Short Tau Inversion Recovery Sequences for Cervical Radiculopathy

In magnetic resonance(MR) imagings with short tau inversion recovery(STIR) sequences fat signals are specifically suppressed. These imaging techniques, therefore, have been used to identify optic nerve lesions in the orbits, because there are a lot of fat tissues which may obscure the optic nerves in the orbit. The cervical spinal nerves or ventral primary rami of brachial plexus, during their courses in the necks between anterior and middle scalene muscles, are also surrounded by considerable amount of fat deposits. So we used these MR imaging techniques with already used posterior neck coil system, to image cervical spinal nerves directly, and to know whether there are certain signal changes in those nerves of the involved nerve roots, in 12 patients who were considered to have cervical radiculopathies by conventional diagnostic means. In MR neurography with STIR sequences(STIR MRN) of axial and coronal images, signals of the cervical spinal nerves of the involved roots were detected as fairly bright, and were discerned from signals of the spinal nerves of the uninvolved roots. We also measured contrast-to-noise ratio(CNR) of the spinal nerve signals of the involved and uninvolved roots in axial images. The average CNR value of the former was 4.48+/-0.889 and of the latter 1.40+/-0.274. Our fingings indicate that STIR MRNs can be helpful in limiting the lesions more accurately and in making surgical decisions for cervical radiculopathies caused by multileveled discs or spondylosis.