A comparative analysis of surface areas and ratio of the cervical spinal cord and the vertebral canal at the same levels via MRI on healthy individuals / Análisis comparativo de las áreas de superficie y proporción de la médula espinal cervical y el canal vertebral en los mismos niveles via resonancia magnética en individuos sanos

The determination of the normal values of the cross-sectional surface areas and ratios of the vertebral canal and the spinal cord on the healthy individuals is of great importance with regards to the fact that it provides convenience for the doctors to make correct pathological diagnosis because of the most suitable treatment. In this study, it has been aimed to determine the respective ratios between the vertebral canal and the spinal cord via measuring their cross-sectional surface areas at the C3­C6 vertebra levels. The study has been implemented on the Magnetic Resonance Images (MRI) of the cervical vertebral column from healthy individuals at the Department of Radiology, Meram Faculty of Medicine, Necmettin Erbakan University. The study has been applied to 67 (50 female-17 male) individuals whose ages varied between 14 and 59 and these individuals have been divided into two groups as below and over 40 years of age. During the cervical MRI examination, axial and sagittal images have been evaluated and measurements have been made on the non-pathological axial images. The vertebral canal and the spinal cord surface areas have been calculated in square millimeters at the C3­C6 levels. Also, we calculated the ratio between the spinal cord surface area and the vertebral canal surface area. The obtained data has been transferred on the computer and statistical analysis has been implemented via SPSS package program (for Windows, 15.0). The summary of the data has been stated as Mean±SD. It has also been compared with regard to sex and age groups (below and over 40 years of age) using the Student t-test. The relationship between parameters has been evaluated by means of Pearson correlation test. No significant discrepancy (P>0.05) has been determined between the male and the female subjects in terms of the vertebral canal and spinal cord surface area values. On the other hand, at the C4, C5 and C6 levels, a significant discrepancy (P<0.05) has been observed between male and female subjects in terms of the ratio of spinal cord surface to the vertebral canal surface, stating that the male have it larger than the female. A positive correlation (P<0.01) between the surface area and ratio data of both sexes has been determined. We believe that the results of this study will be useful for the fields of neurology, neurosurgery and physical therapy and rehabilitation, particularly in evaluating spinal atrophy.

La determinación de los valores normales de las áreas de superficie de la sección transversal y las proporciones del canal vertebral de la médula espinal en los individuos sanos es de gran importancia para los médicos, para realizar un diagnóstico patológico correcto y un tratamiento más adecuado. Este estudio se llevó a cabo para determinar las respectivas proporciones entre el canal vertebral y la médula espinal a través de la medición transversal de áreas de superficie, entre los niveles de las vértebras C3­C6. El estudio se realizó através de imágenes de resonancia magnética (IRM) de la columna vertebral cervical de individuos sanos en el Departamento de Radiología, de la Facultad de Medicina de Meram, Universidad de Necmettin Erbakan. En el estudio participaron 67 sujetos (50 mujeres, 17 hombres) entre 14 y 59 años de edad. Los sujetos fueron divididos en dos grupos, menores y mayores de 40 años de edad. Durante el examen de IRM cervical, se evaluaron imágenes axiales y sagitales, estas mediciones se realizaron en las imágenes axiales no patológicas. El canal vertebral y las áreas de superficie de la médula espinal fueron calculados en milímetros cuadrados entre los niveles C3­C6. Además, se calculó el cociente entre el área de superficie de la médula espinal y la superficie del canal vertebral. Los datos obtenidos de superficie del canal vertebral, fueron transferidos al equipo y el análisis estadístico se implementó a través del programa SPSS (para Windows, 15.0). El resumen de los datos fue declarado como Media±DE. También fueron comparados grupos entre ambos sexos y por edad (menores y mayores de 40 años de edad) através de la prueba t de Student. La relación entre los parámetros fue evaluada mediante la prueba de correlación de Pearson. No se observó discrepancia significativa (P>0,05) entre hombres y mujeres en términos del canal vertebral, y los valores de la columna vertebral de la zona de superficie dorsal. Por otro lado, a nivel C4, C5 y C6, se observó una discrepancia significativa (P<0,05) entre hombres y mujeres, en términos de la proporción de la superficie de la médula espinal y la superficie del canal vertebral, indicando que fue mayor en los hombres. Se determinó una correlación positiva (P<0,01) entre el área de superficie y los datos de proporción de ambos sexos. Creemos que los resultados de este estudio serán de utilidad en las áreas de la neurología, neurocirugía, como también en terapia física y rehabilitación, en particular en la evaluación de la atrofia espinal.

Clinical significance of maxillary artery and its branches: a cadaver study and review of the literature / Significado clínico de la arteria maxilar y sus ramas: un estudio en cadáver y la revisión de la literatura

The aim of this study was to investigate the anatomy of the maxillary artery (MA) and its branches. Fourteen sides of Turkish adult cadavers were dissected. The specimens were classified according to the relation between MA and the lateral pterygoid. After the removal of the lateral pterygoid, parts and branches of MA were exposed. We classified the branching patterns of MA in the pterygopalatine fossa. The calibers and lengths of the arteries, and the distance between the zygomatic arch and MA, and between the infratemporal crest and MA were measured. The MA was found superficial to the lateral pterygoid in 57.2 percent. The inferior alveolar artery (IA) was arisen from MA before the middle meningeal artery (MM) in 35.7 percent, after MM in 35.7 percent. The IA and MM were arisen from the same area of MA in 14.3 percent. In other two cases IA was arisen from the beginning of MA (14.3 percent). According to the contours of third portion of MA, we classified "Y" type (50 percent), "intermediate-T" type (14.3 percent), and "M" type (35.7 percent). This reinvestigation of the clinical anatomy of MA may provide useful information to the head and neck surgeons, dentists, neurosurgeons and radiologists related with this region.

El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar la anatomía de la arteria maxilar (AM) y sus ramas. Fueron disecados 14 hemicabezas de cadáveres turcos adultos. Las muestras fueron clasificadas de acuerdo a las relaciones entre AM y el músculo pterigoideo lateral. Después de la eliminación del músculo pterigoideo lateral, las partes y las ramas de AM fueron expuestas. Se clasificaron los patrones de ramificación de la AM en la fosa pterigopalatina. El calibre y la longitud de las arterias, la distancia entre el arco cigomático y la AM , y entre la cresta infratemporal y la AM fueron medidas. La AM se encuentra superficial al músculo pterigoideo lateral en el 57,2 por ciento. La arteria alveolar inferior (AI) se originó desde la AM antes que la arteria meníngea media (MM) en el 35,7 por ciento, y después de ésta en el 35,7 por ciento. La AI y MM se originaron en la misma zona de la AM en el 14,3 por ciento. En otros dos casos la AI se originó desde el inicio de AM (14,3 por ciento). De acuerdo con los contornos de la tercera porción de AM, se clasificaron como tipo "Y" (50 por ciento), tipo "intermedio-T" (14,3 por ciento), y de tipo "M" (35,7 por ciento). Esta investigación de la anatomía clínica de la AM puede proporcionar información útil a los cirujanos de cabeza y cuello, odontólogos, neurocirujanos y radiólogos relacionados con esta región.

The levator claviculae muscle and unilateral third head of the Sternocleidomastoid muscle: case report / Músculo elevador de la clavícula y tercera cabeza unilateral del músculo esternocleidomastoídeo: reporte de caso

A rare case of unilateral third head of sternocleidomastoid and an extra muscle levator claviculae were determined unilaterally in a 70-year-old male cadaver during the routine dissections. In the left neck side, it was observed that the sternocleidomastoid muscle also had a third part in addition to known sternal and clavicular heads and levator claviculae muscle which arose from the posterior tubercle of the transverse process of the 3rd cervical vertebra and attached to the posterior margin of the clavicle. An awareness of this variations may be important because of its close relationship with neurovascular structures during neck operations.

Durante una disección de rutina, se observó en un cadáver de sexo masculino de 70 años de edad, la presencia de una tercera cabeza unilateral del músculo esternocleidomastoideo y de un músculo elevador clavicular accesorio. En el lado izquierdo del cuello, se observó que el músculo esternocleidomastoideo poseía una tercera cabeza, además de las cabezas esternal y clavicular. El músculo elevador de la clavícula, tenía su origen en el tubérculo posterior del proceso transverso de la tercera vértebra cervical y se insertaba en el margen posterior de la clavícula. El conocimiento de estas variaciones pueden ser importantes debido a su estrecha relación con las estructuras neurovasculares del cuello durante las operaciones.

Communications between the palmar digital branches of the median and ulnar nerves: A study in human fetuses and a review of the literature.

In this study, median nerves (MNs) and ulnar nerves (UNs) were dissected in 200 palmar sides of hands (left and right) of 100 (50 male, 50 female) spontaneously aborted fetuses with no detectable malformations. The fetuses, whose gestational ages ranged from 13 to 40 weeks, were dissected under an operating microscope. The MN divided first into a lateral ramus and a medial ramus and then formed a common digital nerve. The first common digital nerve trifurcated in all of the studied cases. The branching patterns were classified into two types (Type 1 and Type 2) based on the relationship with the flexor retinaculum (behind/distal of it). A communication branch between the UNs and MNs in the palmar surface of the hand was found in 59 hands (29.5%). The proper palmar digital nerves were numbered from p1 to p10, starting from the radial half of the thumb to the ulnar half of the little finger, and these nerves exhibited six types of variations. The present data obtained from human fetuses will aid in elucidating the developmental anatomy of the nervous system and provide hand surgeons with a more complete anatomical picture to help them to avoid iatrogenic injuries.

Developmental variations and clinical importance of the fetal thyroid gland. A morphometric study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the morphologic structures and developmental anomalies of the thyroid gland in human fetuses. METHODS: This study performed in the Department of Anatomy, Meram Faculty of Medicine between February and April in 2002. Fetuses were obtained from the Gynecology Department of the Meram Faculty of Medicine, Selcuk University, and Dr. Faruk Sukan Maternity Hospital (Konya, Turkey). Sixty spontaneously aborted fetuses (30 boys and 30 girls) between the ages of 13.5th and 32.5th weeks, which had no detectable anomalies, were evaluated. The gland was dissected under the microscope. The location of the gland was determined according to the tracheal ring levels and laryngeal cartilage levels. The length, width and thickness of both lobes and isthmus of the gland were measured and then, the developmental anomalies were noted. The obtained data were statistically analyzed by Least Squares in variant analysis. RESULTS: Although there was no significant difference regarding to the gender for all parameters except in width of the right lobe (p<0.05), difference in the length and width of lobes and the length of isthmus between trimesters was significant (p<0.05). All measured parameters were increasing with advancing gestational age. The pyramidal lobe was observed in 18.3% of the cases. CONCLUSION: Normal dimensions and developmental anomalies of the fetal thyroid, which was shown in this study, may provide useful information for the prenatal diagnosis and in-utero treatment of thyroid dysfunctions.

An investigation of the origin, location and variations of the renal arteries in human fetuses and their clinical relevance.

We investigated the origin, localizations and anatomic variations of the renal artery (RA) in human fetuses with the aim of determining the distribution of these variations according to lateralization and gender. In total, 90 fetuses of spontaneous abortion (45 males, 45 females) with no congenital malformations were included to the study. The abdominal aorta and its branches were dissected after latex solution colored with red ink had been injected into the vessels from the thoracic aorta. In all, 180 RA dissections were performed bilaterally in 90 cases and the anatomic variations were photographed. Right and left RAs were found to originate from the following levels according to the columna vertebralis, respectively: 3.8% and 1.9% lower T12, 67.3% and 25.0% upper L1, 9.6% and 28.8% mid L1, 15.3% and 40.3 lower L1, 3.8% and 3.8% upper 1/3 part of L2 vertebra. The right RA originated from the lateral part and anterolateral wall of the abdominal aorta in 73.0% and 26.9% of cases while the lateral and anterolateral wall origin percentages of left RA were 90.3% and 9.6%, respectively. The origin site of the right RA from the abdominal aorta was superior to, at the same level with, and inferior to that of the left RA in 53.8%, 34.6% and 11.5% of the cases, respectively. There were no variations in 75% of the cases whereas the remaining 25% had several variation patterns. The presented morphological results are as follows: A single hilar artery in 75% of the cases, double hilar arteries in 11.1%, an inferior polar artery in 10.5%, and a superior polar artery in 3.3% of specimens studied. Anatomical variations were observed more frequently among male fetuses and on the right side. Knowledge of RA variations is important for surgeons in performing many procedures and may help to avoid clinical complications, especially, during radiological examination and/or surgical approaches in the abdominal region.

Distal femur morphometry: a gender and bilateral comparative study using magnetic resonance imaging.

Among the anthropometric factors to be considered, anatomic differences in the distal femur and intercondylar notch have been implicated as a cause of the different rates of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture between men and women; therefore, in this study our aim was to evaluate a number of morphometric measurements in the distal part of the femur. Two hundred knee MRI examinations were analyzed: 56 male right, 44 male left, 42 female right and 58 female left. Measurements of the intercondylar height (ICH), intercondylar width (ICW), medial condylar width (MCW), lateral condylar width (LCW) and epicondylar width (EW) were obtained. The notch shape index (NSI) was also calculated. Statistical analysis for comparisons was done by Student's t-test. Correlations between the parameters studied were calculated by Pearson correlation coefficients. Significant bilateral differences were not found (p > 0.05). In all measurements, males showed significantly greater values than females (p < 0.001). No difference was seen in the NSI between males and females (p > 0.05). Conversely a significant association was obtained between age and all parameters. We conclude that the results of this study may be useful for anatomic evaluation of the distal femur region prior to orthopaedic operations.

Radial artery graft for bypass of the maxillary to proximal posterior cerebral artery: an anatomical and technical study.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the use of a radial artery graft for bypass of the maxillary artery (MA) to proximal posterior cerebral artery (PCA) as an alternative to the external carotid artery (ECA) to PCA anastomosis used in posterior circulation bypass surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The method was applied to five adult cadaver sides bilaterally. The MA was easily found 1-2 cm beneath the infratemporal crest after a frontotemporal craniotomy and a zygomatic arch osteotomy. Extradurally, 2-3 cm posterolateral to the foramen rotundum, a hole was drilled in the sphenoid bone with a 4-mm tipped drill. After sylvian fissure, the interpedincular and ambient cisternae were opened and the P2 segment of the PCA appeared. The graft was passed through the hole and dura to reach the P2 segment. Proximal to the infraorbital artery branch, the MA was freed from the surrounding tissue and transected. The proximal side of the radial artery graft was anastomosed end-to-end with the MA and the distal side was anastomosed end-to-side with the P2 segment of the PCA. RESULTS: The average diameter of the MA proximal to the infraorbital artery branch was 2.6+/-0.3 mm. The average diameter of the P2 was 2.2+/-0.2 mm. The average length of the graft was 47+/-5.2 mm. CONCLUSION: As MA to proximal PCA bypass uses a short radial graft and as the calibers of the MA and PCA are >2 mm such a bypass may provide sufficient blood flow and represents a reasonable alternative to "ECA to PCA" bypass.

Possibility of middle meningeal artery-to-petrous internal carotid artery bypass: an anatomic study.

The possibility of creating a middle meningeal artery (MMA)-to-petrous internal carotid artery (ICA) bypass was investigated in six cadavers (bilaterally). Such a procedure could be used to treat patients with high cervical vascular lesions and those with tumors of the infratemporal fossa invading the high cervical ICA. After a frontotemporal craniotomy, the foramen spinosum and foramen ovale were exposed extradurally. Immediately posterior to the foramen ovale and medial to the foramen spinosum, the petrous portion of the ICA was exposed with a diamond-tipped drill. The MMA was lifted from its groove, and a sufficient length was transected to perform a bypass with the petrous ICA medially. The mean width of the MMA at the site of anastomosis was 2.3 +/- 0.35 mm. The mean length of MMA from the foramen spinosum to the site of the anastomosis was 9.6 +/- 1.7 mm. Based on these measurements, width and length of MMA appear to be sufficient for a bypass with petrous ICA.

Brachial plexus variations in human fetuses.

OBJECTIVE: We examined the anatomic variations of the brachial plexus (BP) in human fetuses. METHODS: This study was performed with 200 BPs from spontaneously aborted fetuses without detectable malformations. The plexuses were dissected, and the normal position and/or morphological variations of the BP were determined and photographed. RESULTS: There were no variations in 93 plexuses, and 107 plexuses were observed to have different variations. Morphological variations were observed more frequently among female fetuses and right sides. The BPs were composed mostly of the C5, C6, C7, and C8 nerves and the T1 nerve (71.5%). A prefixed plexus was observed in 25.5% of cases, and a postfixed plexus was observed in 2.5% of cases. In one case (0.5%), the C4 and T2 nerves joined the formation. The inferior trunk was not formed in 9% of cases. The superior trunk was not formed in 1% of cases. In one plexus, the superior trunk was formed by the ventral rami of the C4 and C5 nerves. In one case, the inferior trunk was formed by the ventral rami of the T1 and T2 nerves. Division variations were observed most frequently. There were also variations in the terminal branches, such as the roots of the median nerve joining in the distal part of the arm (8.5%), the axillary nerve being separate from the posterior division of the superior trunk (2.5%), and a connection existing between the median and musculocutaneous nerves (1%). CONCLUSION: Knowledge of BP variations is important for surgeons who perform surgical procedures in the cervical and axillary regions.

The origin of gonadal arteries in human fetuses: anatomical variations.

Testicular arterial anatomy has been well studied because of its importance in testicular physiology, as well as testicular and renal surgery. In contrast to classical anatomical descriptions, it may originate from the suprarenal or lumbar arteries or a high-positioned origin, course behind the inferior vena cava or be doubled or arise from an inferior polar renal artery. Different developmental patterns as variations in relation to origin, course and number of the renal and gonadal arteries have been reported and discussed. This study was performed on 90 spontaneously aborted fetuses obtained from two different hospitals in Konya. The study was carried out on the testicular or ovarian arteries of fetuses fixed by immersion in 10% formalin. In all, 180 gonadal arteries were studied and 16 of them were found to have variations in their origin (8.8%). The variations of the gonadal artery origins could be classified into four types. The gonadal artery variations were more commonly found in male than the female fetuses and on the right side rather than the left. In the present study, it is clear that these variations are important not only from the developmental point of view or research interest, but they also may explain some pathological conditions. Knowledge of these variations may help to avoid the clinical complications especially during radiological examinations and/or surgical approaches in this region.