title: Morphology of the cerebral arterial circle in the prenatal and postnatal period of Serbian population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In the literature, there are descriptions of morphological types of the cerebral arterial circle (CAC) of different human populations around the world, but not the Serbian population. This additionally inspired the authors to present the results of previous and current researches of CAC's configuration in the prenatal, as well as in the postnatal period.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed on CACs of 190 human fetuses and 143 adult cadavers. The caliber and configuration of fetal vessels were examined under the operating microscope, while the same of adults were studied using the ImageJ. Statistical analysis of CACs vessels' calibers was performed. Classification into one of CAC morphological types was based on the presence of hypoplasia of corresponding vessel(s).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was not only significant difference of the three communicating arteries calibers before and beyond the 16th week of gestation. Calibers of the right pre-communicating part of the posterior cerebral artery and right cerebral part of the internal carotid artery were significantly higher in male than in female adults. There were 13 morphological types of CACs from the prenatal to the postnatal period. Most frequent CAC types were the type I (normal CAC) prenatally and type IV (unilateral hypoplasia of the posterior communicating artery) in the postnatal period. There were not relationships between the cerebral cause of death and a presence of aneurysm.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results of this study will be the basis for future investigation of CACs according to the same or different ages and causes of disease and/or death.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Blvd. Dr Zoran Đinđić 81, 18000, Niš, Serbia, likica@medfak.ni.ac.rs.
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vasović
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trandafilović
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jovanović
authors.forename: Slađana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ugrenović
authors.forename: Slobodan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vlajković
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Milić
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Đorđević
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply; D002102:Cadaver; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002941:Circle of Willis / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055771:Serbia; D055815:Young Adult