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Microanatomy of the subcallosal artery: an in-vivo 7 T magnetic resonance angiography study

  • Magnetic Resonance
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Abstract

Objectives

To investigate in-vivo microanatomy of the subcallosal artery branching from the anterior communicating artery (ACoA) using time-of-flight (TOF) magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) at 7 Tesla.

Methods

Seventy-five subjects, including 15 healthy volunteers and 60 patients, were included in this prospective study. Three raters characterized branches from ACoA in maximum intensity projections of TOF MRA at 7 Tesla acquired with 0.22 × 0.22 × 0.41 mm3 resolution. Furthermore, course patterns and anatomical features of the subcallosal artery (maximum diameter, length, and branching angle from ACoA) were measured.

Results

Branches from the anterior communicating artery were visualized in 63 of 74 (85.1 %) subjects and were identified as the subcallosal artery (93.7 %) and the accessory anterior cerebral artery (6.3 %). The course of the subcallosal artery was classified into 3 groups; C-shaped (55.9 %), straight (16.9 %), and S-shaped (27.2 %). There was a significant difference between the branching angles of C-shaped and straight (p < 0.0001), between C-shaped and S-shaped (p < 0.0001), as well as between straight and S-shaped (p = 0.0113) course patterns.

Conclusions

High-resolution in-vivo 7 T TOF MRA can delineate the microanatomy of the subcallosal artery. Three main variants of course patterns and branching angles from ACoA could be identified.

Key Points

• In-vivo 7 Tesla TOF MRA can delineate the subcallosal artery microanatomy

• Three distinct course patterns of the subcallosal artery were identified

• Branching angles from ACoA significantly differed between subcallosal artery course patterns

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Lena C. Schäfer (RT) for performing all the 7 Tesla examinations. The scientific guarantor of this publication is Dr. Karsten H Wrede. The authors of this manuscript declare no relationships with any companies, whose products or services may be related to the subject matter of the article. This study has received funding by University Duisburg Essen (IFORES grant). No complex statistical methods were necessary for this paper. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. Written informed consent was obtained from all subjects (patients) in this study. Methodology: prospective, observational, multicenter study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, 45147, Essen, Germany

    Toshinori Matsushige, Bixia Chen, Philipp Dammann, Ulrich Sure & Karsten H. Wrede

  2. Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minamiku, Hiroshima, 734-8551, Japan

    Toshinori Matsushige

  3. Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging, University Duisburg-Essen, Kokereiallee 7, Building C84, Essen, 45141, Germany

    Toshinori Matsushige, Bixia Chen, Philipp Dammann, Sören Johst, Harald H. Quick, Mark E. Ladd & Karsten H. Wrede

  4. High Field and Hybrid MR Imaging, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, Essen, 45147, Germany

    Harald H. Quick

  5. Division of Medical Physics in Radiology, German Cancer Research Center, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, Heidelberg, 69120, Germany

    Mark E. Ladd

  6. Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Hospital Essen, Hufelandstrasse 55, Essen, 45147, Germany

    Michael Forsting

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  1. Toshinori Matsushige
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  2. Bixia Chen
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Correspondence to Toshinori Matsushige.

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Matsushige, T., Chen, B., Dammann, P. et al. Microanatomy of the subcallosal artery: an in-vivo 7 T magnetic resonance angiography study. Eur Radiol 26, 2908–2914 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-015-4117-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-015-4117-1

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