Chinese Journal Of Clinical Anatomy ›› 2011, Vol. 29 ›› Issue (2): 184-187.

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Surface location of the transverse sinus by computed tomographic angiography and its clinic significance

SHENG Bo1, Lü Fu-rong1, XIAO Zhi-bo1, OU Yang-yu1, Lü Fa-jin1, DENG Jin-mu2, LIU Nan1   

  1. 1.Department of Radiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China; 2. Department of Neurosurgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China
  • Received:2010-10-21 Online:2011-03-25 Published:2011-03-28

Abstract:

Objective To evaluate the anatomical relationship of transverse-sigmoid sinuses and surgical landmarks for clinic surgery by computed tomographic angiography with 64-row CT, and to determine the reliability of the superior nuchal line (SNL) and the line drawn from the zygoma root to the inion for the posterolateral approaches as the surgical landmark. Methods The images of transverse-sigmoid sinuses from 100 cases were collected adopting CT angiography and further three-dimensional reconstructed to determine the location of the transverse-sigmoid sinuses. Results The main asterion located at the transverse-sigmoid sinuses transition (TSST), and closed to transverse sinuses. Regarding its position from the TSST, it was at the transition point for most cases (81%), at the lower part of transition about 15%, and at the upper part about 4%. It was disaccord to the course of SNL and the line drawn from the zygoma root to the inion, furthermore, their relationship with the transverse sinus was varied. Transverse sinus and SNL was inconsistent. The line from the zygoma root to the inion can be used as a sign of proximal transverse sinus, but with their outward migration, the line passed below the transverse sinus and gradually away from it. Conclusions SNL is different from the line from the zygoma root to the inion, and cannot be taken as a strictly reliable landmark for locating transverse sinuses. Subtraction CT angiography is a reliable method in the localization of the transverse-sigmoid sinuses for surgical craniotomies.

Key words: Transverse sinus, Superior nuchal line, Anatomy, Computed tomographic angiography(CTA)

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