The Spine Journal 15 (2015) e39
Intraforaminal vertebral artery: a rare and risky anomaly A 64-year-old lady was referred for investigation of longstanding neck pain. She had no evidence of radiculopathy or myelopathy on history or examination. Her magnetic resonance imaging was unremarkable except for an anomalous right vertebral artery, traversing the right C6–C7 foramen (Figure). An intraforaminal vertebral artery has only been described in 0.6% of patients and may represent a rare cause of radiculopathy [1,2]. References [1] Park SB, Yang HJ, Lee SH. Medial loop of v2 segment of vertebral artery causing compression of proximal cervical root. J Korean Neurosurg Soc 2012;52:513–6.
Figure. The computed tomography angiogram demonstrated an anomalous right vertebral artery looping through the right C6–C7 nerve root foramen. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2015.06.068 1529-9430/Ó 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
[2] Kim HS, Lee JH, Cheh G, Lee SH. Cervical radiculopathy caused by vertebral artery loop formation: a case report and review of the literature. J Korean Neurosurg Soc 2010;48:465–8.
Ronald T. Murambi, MBBS Edward White, MRCS, FRCS Timothy R. Steel, MBBS, FRACS Department of Neurosurgery St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney 390 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst New South Wales 2010, Australia FDA device/drug status: Not applicable. Author disclosures: RTM: Nothing to disclose. EW: Nothing to disclose. TRS: Nothing to disclose.
Intraforaminal vertebral artery: a rare and risky anomaly A 64-year-old lady was referred for investigation of longstanding neck pain. She had no evidence of radiculopathy or myelopathy on history or examination. Her magnetic resonance imaging was unremarkable except for an anomalous right vertebral artery, traversing the right C6–C7 foramen (Figure). An intraforaminal vertebral artery has only been described in 0.6% of patients and may represent a rare cause of radiculopathy [1,2]. References [1] Park SB, Yang HJ, Lee SH. Medial loop of v2 segment of vertebral artery causing compression of proximal cervical root. J Korean Neurosurg Soc 2012;52:513–6.
Figure. The computed tomography angiogram demonstrated an anomalous right vertebral artery looping through the right C6–C7 nerve root foramen. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.spinee.2015.06.068 1529-9430/Ó 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
[2] Kim HS, Lee JH, Cheh G, Lee SH. Cervical radiculopathy caused by vertebral artery loop formation: a case report and review of the literature. J Korean Neurosurg Soc 2010;48:465–8.
Ronald T. Murambi, MBBS Edward White, MRCS, FRCS Timothy R. Steel, MBBS, FRACS Department of Neurosurgery St Vincent’s Hospital, Sydney 390 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst New South Wales 2010, Australia FDA device/drug status: Not applicable. Author disclosures: RTM: Nothing to disclose. EW: Nothing to disclose. TRS: Nothing to disclose.
