J Korean Soc Radiol.  2015 Feb;72(2):136-139. 10.3348/jksr.2015.72.2.136.

Vertebral Artery Loop Formation Depicted on Oblique Sagittal MR Imaging: A Case Report

• Bang SW
• Han KR
• Lee MK
• Kim HN
• Han JI
• Park MN
• Kim C

• KMID: 2002811
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jksr.2015.72.2.136

Abstract

Vertebral artery loop formation is an anatomic variation that possibly causes cervical nerve root compression, leading to cervical radiculopathy. A few cases of vertebral artery loop formation depicted with conventional sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been reported, but cases of vertebral artery loop formation depicted with oblique sagittal MRI have been less frequently reported. We present a case of vertebral artery loop formation depicted on oblique sagittal MRI.

MeSH Terms

Anatomic Variation
Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
Radiculopathy
Vertebral Artery*

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Scout images for T2-weighted conventional sagittal (3.5 mm thickness/0.3 mm spacing) (A) and oblique sagittal (2 mm thickness/0.2 mm spacing) (B) MR images.

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  Fig. 2 T2-weighted axial and conventional sagittal MR images. A. Axial image shows a signal-void vascular structure (arrow) in the left C5-6 neural foramen. B. Sagittal image does not clearly depict signal-void vascular structure (arrow).

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  Fig. 3 T2-weighted oblique sagittal MR images. A-C. Signal-void structure within left C5-6 neural foramen (arrow) (A) is coursing to superior and inferior direction to be vertebral artery on contiguous images (arrows) (B, C).

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