Association between the posterior part of the circle of Willis and the vertebral artery hypoplasia

English version

Autoři: Virginija Gaigalaite ^aff001; Jurate Dementaviciene ^aff001; Augenijus Vilimas ^aff001; Danute Kalibatiene ^aff001
Působiště autorů: Faculty of Medicine, Vilnius University, Vilnius, Lithuania ^aff001
Vyšlo v časopise: PLoS ONE 14(9)
Kategorie: Research Article
prolekare.web.journal.doi_sk: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0213226

Souhrn

Background

It is not clear whether the configuration of the posterior part of the circle of Willis (CW) depends on the proximal part of the vertebrobasilar system. Our aim is to evaluate the posterior part of CW in association with different size of vertebral arteries (VA) in healthy volunteers.

Materials and methods

The present study was based on a sample of 923 healthy volunteers who were examined from 2013 through 2018. The duplex ultrasonographic examination of the extracranial vertebral (VA) and carotid arteries was performed. VA was defined as hypoplastic (VAH) when VA diameter in the entire course was less than 2.5 mm. All the participants underwent magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) examination. All the component vessels of the circle of Willis were assessed in each individual. We classified the posterior communicating artery (PCoA) as presence PCoA, absence/hypoplastic PCoA and fetal-type posterior circle of Willis (FCW) in which the major stem of the posterior cerebral artery (PCA) arises from ipsilateral internal carotid artery (ICA). The comparison of the posterior part of CW was made in subjects with normal VA and VAH of a different degree (communicating with basilar artery (VAH-BA) and not communicating with the basilar artery (VAH-PICA)).

Results

FCW was found in 15.9% of subjects, bilaterally–in 2.3%. FCW was more frequent in individuals with VAH than in those with normal VA (accordingly, 28.8% vs. 13.5%, p<0.001. Moreover FCW was recorded in 50% of the subjects with VA—PICA in comparison with 13.5% of those with normal VA and 22.8% with VAH—BA, p<0.005. On the contrary, absence/hypoplasia of both PCoA was mostly found in the group with normal VA in comparison with VAH-BA and VAH-PICA (accordingly, 50.7%, 38.6% and 12.5%, p<0.01).

Conclusion

Individuals with VAH have a different pattern of the posterior part of CW in comparison with those with normal VA. With the increasing degree of VAH, the proportion of FCW increases, while the proportion of absence/hypoplastic of both PCoA decreases.

Klíčová slova:

stroke – Biology and life sciences – Research and analysis methods – Anatomy – Medicine and health sciences – Physiology – Diagnostic medicine – Body fluids – Blood – Neurology – Cerebrovascular diseases – Vascular medicine – Imaging techniques – Diagnostic radiology – Magnetic resonance imaging – Radiology and imaging – Cardiovascular anatomy – Cardiovascular medicine – Cardiovascular imaging – Angiography – Blood vessels – Arteries – Carotid arteries – Cerebral arteries – Blood flow

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