title: Bilateral segmental agenesis of carotid and vertebral arteries with rete mirabile and the prominent anterior and posterior spinal arteries as compensations.
abstract: Agenesis of carotid or vertebrobasilar arteries with rete formation is rare. The anterior spinal artery or posterior spinal arteries supplying the posterior circulation with steno-occlusion or agenesis of bilateral vertebral arteries is also uncommon. Here, we describe a very rare case of concomitant segmental agenesis of bilateral carotid and vertebral arteries with collateral compensations from the prominent anterior spinal artery and posterior spinal arteries, as well as some transdural arterial networks which were considered a rete mirabile. We discuss its embryological and anatomic significance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Hospital; Beijing, China - bjyysw@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Hospital; Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Jiachun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Hospital; Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Lijun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Hospital; Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Hospital; Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Daming
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055806:Microvessels / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011859:Radiography; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: anterior spinal artery; arterial agenesis; carotid, vertebrobasilar; posterior spinal artery; rete mirabile