Anatomy of the Head in Postmortem Angiography

Abstract

Postmortem angiography for the demonstration of individual vascularization has proved to be of excellent quality. It demonstrates the arterial supply of intra- and extracranial arteries and their main branches in the face, scalp, and brain. Limitations may be experienced in the visualization of small arterial branches in the bony skull base and smaller muscular branches in the face. The demonstration of the variability of anatomic supply in the facial area as well as in the brain has also proved to be of outstanding quality. The venous supply of the facial tissues by retrograde filling techniques can also be highlighted without difficulties, including small branches in the face. However, with the application of standard techniques like multiphase computed tomography angiography (MPMCTA), limitations associated with contrast medium opacification may arise by the retrograde filling of the sinuses of the dura mater, at least regarding the small central sinuses in the brain. The anatomic illustrations in the following chapters (Chapters 11–18) are based on the MPMCTA methodology.