Anatomic Considerations and Relationship between Vertebral Artery and Transverse Foramina at Cervical Vertebrae 1 to 6 in Vertigo Patients

Year 2018, Volume: 8 Issue: 3, 185 - 194, 18.12.2018

Turgut Kültür , Nuray Bayar Muluk Cihan Iyem , Mikail Inal , Veysel Burulday , Murat Alpua Umut Orkun Çelebi

https://doi.org/10.32448/entupdates.507983

Abstract

Objectives:
In the present study, we investigated the relationship between
vertebral artery and transverse foramina of the C1 to C6 vertebrae in
patients with vertigo suspected as vertebrobasilar insufficiency
(VBI).

Patients
and Methods: In
this retrospective study, Cervical Computed Tomography (CT) of 22
adult patients with vertigo and control
group comprising 23 healthy adulti ndivıduals were
included. Vertebral artery and transverse foramina measurements
(Sagittal and transverse dimensions; and area) were performed at the
levels of cervical 1 (C1) to cervical 6 (C6) vertebrae bilaterally.

Results:
At
C6 level, right vertebral artery area; and sagittal and transverse
diameter; and
atthe C1 level, right transverse foramina area of the vertigo group
were significantly higher than the control group. Vertebral
artery area values were positively correlated with ipsilateral
transverse foramina values (transverse
foramen sagittal and transverse dimensions; and areas) at C1 to C5
levels. When transverse foramina sagittal or transverse
dimensions; or transverse foramina areas decreased, vertebral artery
areas also decreased at C1 to C5 levels.

Conclusion:
We
concluded that a decrease in the diameters of bony structure or
transverse foramina may cause a decreasein
the
area of the vertebral artery at the ipsilateral side.As the left
vertebral artery is dominant for cerebral blood flow, an increase of
the right vertebral artery area cannot affect cerebral blood flow.
Decreased blood flow on the left side may play a role in the
development of vertigo, in other words,VBI.

Keywords

Vertebral artery, transverse foramina, vertigo, vertebrobasilar insufficiency, multi-slice computed tomography

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