What is vertebral artery dominance?

What is vertebral artery dominance?

Introduction. Traditionally, vertebral artery dominance (VAD) is considered a normal congenital vascular variation of the vertebral arteries (VAs). It usually refers to the obvious asymmetry of the VA diameters on both sides.

What does it mean when left vertebral artery is dominant?

Left versus right as well as dominant versus non-dominant artery diameter were analysed by use of a paired-samples t-test. A vertebral artery was considered dominant when the side-to-side diameter difference was greater than the standard error of measurement (SEM).

What is VA hypoplasia?

Vertebral artery hypoplasia is a congenital anatomical variation characterized by underdevelopment of the vertebral artery.

What is the function of the basilar artery?

Abstract. The basilar artery (BA) serves as the main conduit for blood flow through the posterior circulation. It directly supplies the brainstem and cerebellum and provides distal blood flow to the thalami and medial temporal and parietal lobes.

What is PICA termination?

PICA termination of vertebral artery (PICA-VA) happens when the vertebral artery does not communicate directly with the basilar artery and ends in PICA instead (Fig. 3). 4 PICA- VA is a variant of vertebral artery hypoplasia and is present in 2% of population.

What happens when the basilar artery is blocked?

Most commonly, patients experiencing basilar artery occlusion exhibit acute neurologic signs including motor deficits, hemiparesis or quadriparesis, and facial palsies, dizziness, headache, and speech abnormalities–especially dysarthria and difficulty articulating words.

What is a basilar stroke?

A basilar artery stroke is a type of posterior stroke, which means it affects circulation at the back of the brain. Because the basilar artery supplies blood to the cerebellum, occipital lobes, and brainstem, all of which have different functions, this type of stroke can present in a number of different ways. 4.