title: Craniocervical junction venous anatomy around the suboccipital cavernous sinus: evaluation by MR imaging.
abstract: The present study evaluated the venous anatomy of the craniocervical junction, focusing on the suboccipital cavernous sinus (SCS), a vertebral venous plexus surrounding the horizontal portion of the vertebral artery at the skull base. MR imaging was reviewed to clarify the venous anatomy of the SCS in 33 patients. Multiplanar reconstruction MR images were obtained using contrast-enhanced three-dimensional fast spoiled gradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state (3-D fast SPGR) with fat suppression. Connections with the SCS were evaluated for the following venous structures: anterior condylar vein (ACV); posterior condylar vein (PCV); lateral condylar vein (LCV); vertebral artery venous plexus (VAVP); and anterior internal vertebral venous plexus (AVVP). The SCS connected with the ACV superomedially, with the VAVP inferolaterally, and with the AVVP medially. The LCV connected with the external orifice of the ACV and superoanterior aspect of the SCS. The PCV connected with the posteromedial aspect of the jugular bulb and superoposterior aspect of the SCS. The findings of craniocervical junction venography performed in eight patients corresponded with those on MR imaging, other than with regard to the PCV. Contrast-enhanced 3-D fast SPGR allows visualization of the detailed anatomy of these venous structures, and this technique facilitates interventions and description of pathologies occurring in this area.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Akita University School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Hondo, Akita, 010-8543, Japan. satoshi@doc.med.akita-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Ikuo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sakuma
authors.forename: Koichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Omachi
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Otani
authors.forename: Noriaki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tomura
authors.forename: Jiro
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Watarai
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mizoi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D002426:Cavernous Sinus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D012886:Skull; D014680:Veins / Q000033:anatomy & histology
references.citation: Lancet. 2000 Jan 15;355(9199):200-1
references.pmid: 10675123
references.citation: J Neurosurg. 1997 Feb;86(2):252-62
references.pmid: 9010427
references.citation: Neurosurgery. 1997 Jul;41(1):149-201; discussion 201-2
references.pmid: 9218307
references.citation: Am J Roentgenol Radium Ther Nucl Med. 1968 Sep;104(1):57-62
references.pmid: 5672775
references.citation: Anesthesiology. 1970 Apr;32(4):332-7
references.pmid: 4985574
references.citation: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1996 Aug;17 (7):1343-8
references.pmid: 8871722
references.citation: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1994 May;15(5):969-72
references.pmid: 8059670
references.citation: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1998 May;19(5):903-6
references.pmid: 9613509
references.citation: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1999 Nov-Dec;20(10):2016-20
references.pmid: 10588137
references.citation: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1994 Nov;15(10):1871-83
references.pmid: 7863937
references.citation: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2002 Oct;23(9):1500-8
references.pmid: 12372739
references.citation: Neuroradiology. 1993;35(6):475-9
references.pmid: 8377926
references.citation: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1999 Jun-Jul;20(6):1127-31
references.pmid: 10445456
references.citation: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1997 Sep;18(8):1565-72
references.pmid: 9296201
references.citation: Clin Anat. 1997;10 (2):92-6
references.pmid: 9058015
references.citation: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1989 Mar-Apr;10 (2):377-83
references.pmid: 2494857
references.citation: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1993 Sep-Oct;14 (5):1075-83
references.pmid: 8237683
references.citation: Radiology. 1994 Jan;190(1):81-4
references.pmid: 8259433
references.citation: AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 1996 Jun-Jul;17(6):1137-41
references.pmid: 8791928
references.citation: J Neurosurg. 1998 Nov;89(5):762-8
references.pmid: 9817414
references.citation: Surg Gynecol Obstet. 1970 Jul;131(1):72-8
references.pmid: 5419965
references.citation: Neurology. 2003 Mar 25;60(6):941-7
references.pmid: 12654957