title: Morphometric Study of the Anterior Thalamoperforating Arteries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the morphometry of the anterior thalamoperforating arteries (ATPA).
  
  
  METHODS
  A microanatomical study was performed in 79 specimens from 42 formalin-fixed adult cadaver brains. The origins of the ATPAs were divided into anterior, middle, and posterior segments according to the crowding pattern. The morphometry of the ATPAs, including the premammillary artery (PMA), were examined under a surgical microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The anterior and middle segments of the ATPAs arose at mean intervals of 1.75±1.62 mm and 5.86±2.05 mm from the internal carotid artery (ICA), and the interval between these segments was a mean of 3.17±1.64 mm. The posterior segment arose at a mean interval of 2.43±1.46 mm from the posterior cerebral artery (PCA), and the interval between the middle and posterior segments was a mean of 3.45±1.39 mm. The mean numbers of perforators were 2.66±1.19, 3.03±1.84, and 1.67±0.98 in the anterior, middle, and posterior segments, respectively. The PMA originated from the middle segment in 66% of cases. A perforator-free zone was located >2 mm from the ICA in 30.4% and >2 mm from the PCA in 67.1% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most perforators arose from the anterior and middle segments, within the anterior two-thirds of the posterior communicating artery (PCoA). The safest perforator-free zone was located closest to the PCA. These anatomical findings may be helpful to verify safety when treating lesions around the PCoA and in the interpeduncular fossa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Gumi, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Gumi, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Kyu
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Yeo
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Joon
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Seok-Mann
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Chil
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan, Korea.
authors.forename: Hack-Gun
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Bae
keywords: Anterior thalamoperforating artery; Perforator-free zone; Premammillary artery