title: Basal vein in the posterior incisural space: An anatomical comparison based on autopsy, digital subtraction angiography and computed tomographic venography.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  During surgical procedures, the basal vein in the posterior incisural space is susceptible to obstruction. In such circumstances, venous infarction can occur along with venous damage.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to correlate the microanatomy of the basal vein in the posterior incisural space with the digital subtraction angiography (DSA) and computed tomographic venography (CTV).
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty cadavers and 42 patients were examined in this study. The head of each cadaver was injected with blue-colored gelatin via the internal jugular veins. Venograms for each patient were obtained from the venous phases of DSA or CTV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the cadavers, in the patients, DSA and CTV revealed 90% and 95% of the basal vein, respectively. According to difference of entrance, three types of basal veins were identified. No statistical difference of typing was found among the cadavers, DSA images and CTV images. On three sides of the cadavers and one side of the CTV images, the basal vein entered the straight sinus through the meningeal vein in the tentorium cerebelli.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative DSA and CTV are useful in the design of individualized surgical approaches and the preservation of the basal vein in the posterior incisural space.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People's Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People's Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Chuanbing
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, The Third People's Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Yongsheng
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Xuefei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction / Q000379:methods*; D001344:Autopsy / Q000379:methods*; D002550:Cerebral Veins / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010690:Phlebography / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Basal vein; computed tomographic venography; digital subtraction angiography; microanatomy; posterior incisural space