Digital analysis of the dynamics of the arterial supply to the human foetal kidneys

Variations in the renal arteries in human individuals and foetuses have already been well studied. Contemporary trends in visualisation techniques focus on the evaluation of the dynamic parameters of blood flow in the vessels (speed, pulsatility, resistance). Most of these data have been obtained by the means of Doppler ultrasound (Fig. 1, 2). The authors have not found any anatomical database containing information about variability in the volume of the foetal renal arteries. The aim of the study is to design a database for variation in foetal renal artery volume in relation to foetal age and sex. The material consisted of digital images of the renal arteries filled with LBS-latex taken from 30 foetuses aged 12–19 Hbd. Digital analysis of the arteries was made with a unique form of software. The program is a 2D vector graphic editor using spliced functions of Bezier. Foetal age is estimated according to the last menstrual period and measurement of manual foot length and femur length (FL) as determined by ultrasound

Digital analysis of the volume of the human foetal suprarenal arteries

Vascularisation of an organ is an index of its metabolic activity. The suprarenal glands are of crucial importance in the development of pregnancy. No data were found by the authors to describe the volume of the human foetal suprarenal arteries throughout pregnancy. The study was designed to form a database of human foetal suprarenal arterial volume in relation to foetal age and sex. Digital images were obtained at 4-week intervals of the suprarenal arteries of 30 foetuses aged between 12–40 Hbd. The arteries were primarily filled with LBS latex. A unique form of software was designed to assist in incorporating vector graphics, spliced functions of Bezier, into the analysis. The arteries contoured by the geometric curves were calculated for their initial, average and terminal diameter, length and volume. The measurements were compared in relation to foetal age and sex at 4-week intervals. Foetal age was assessed by means of calculation from the last menstrual period, manual measurement of foot length and ultrasonagraphic measurement of femoral length. The suprarenal arteries in human foetuses are of strongly individual variation both in their origin and quantity. The volume of the arteries appears constant in the group analysed

Growth dynamics of the renal and suprarenal arteries in human foetuses

The kidneys and suprarenal cortex are of common embryonic origin. The suprarenal gland and kidney have a common pathway in angiogenesis. Each of the organs is of key importance for intrauterine and individual development, yet they vary greatly in growth dynamics throughout pregnancy. The authors compared the arterial supply of these organs quantitatively in respect to foetal age and sex

The clinical relevance of coeliac trunk variations

The coeliac trunk is a surgically significant artery originating from the abdominal aorta and supplying the supracolic organs. Branches of this arterial trunk supply the primary organs of the abdomen and divert a significant volume of blood from the abdominal aorta. Past research has shown that the anatomy of the coeliac trunk is not identical for all human beings and that about 15% of the population displays significant variations from the typical branching pattern. Data derived from earlier research has been consolidated to give an account of the major variations found in the anatomy of the coeliac trunk and to put forward some theories for the cause of such variation. It is crucial to achieve full comprehension of these topics as knowledge of these variations is indispensable in operative and diagnostic procedures within the abdomen. Without understanding of the arterial architecture and knowledge of the variation characterising the patient in this critical region surgery may entail a considerable risk of an error being committed that may occasionally lead to lethal complications

Customizable tubular model for n-furcating blood vessels and its application to 3D reconstruction of the cerebrovascular system

Understanding the 3D cerebral vascular network is one of the pressing issues impacting the diagnostics of various systemic disorders and is helpful in clinical therapeutic strategies. Unfortunately, the existing software in the radiological workstation does not meet the expectations of radiologists who require a computerized system for detailed, quantitative analysis of the human cerebrovascular system in 3D and a standardized geometric description of its components. In this study, we show a method that uses 3D image data from magnetic resonance imaging with contrast to create a geometrical reconstruction of the vessels and a parametric description of the reconstructed segments of the vessels. First, the method isolates the vascular system using controlled morphological growing and performs skeleton extraction and optimization. Then, around the optimized skeleton branches, it creates tubular objects optimized for quality and accuracy of matching with the originally isolated vascular data. Finally, it optimizes the joints on n-furcating vessel segments. As a result, the algorithm gives a complete description of shape, position in space, position relative to other segments, and other anatomical structures of each cerebrovascular system segment. Our method is highly customizable and in principle allows reconstructing vascular structures from any 2D or 3D data. The algorithm solves shortcomings of currently available methods including failures to reconstruct the vessel mesh in the proximity of junctions and is free of mesh collisions in high curvature vessels. It also introduces a number of optimizations in the vessel skeletonization leading to a more smooth and more accurate model of the vessel network. We have tested the method on 20 datasets from the public magnetic resonance angiography image database and show that the method allows for repeatable and robust segmentation of the vessel network and allows to compute vascular lateralization indices. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]</p

Digital-image analysis of the femoral shaft/neck angle in human foetuses

Measurements were made of the femoral shaft/neck angle (CCD angle) in 106 human foetuses, aged from 16 to 38 hbd, using a "FEM-GEO_03" computer program. The values of the CCD angle in the group under examination were: mean = 140.48°, SD = 6.95°, max = 157.90°, min = 113.93°. No significant differences were found in CCD angle size between male and female foetuses or between left and right bones. Dispersion analysis showed a decrease in the CCD angle during foetal development, which suggests that adaptation to a vertical position and bipedal gait starts during pregnancy and is manifest as an inborn feature

The inferior intercavernous sinus : an anatomical study with application to trans-sphenoidal approaches to the pituitary gland

CITATION: Wahl, L. et al. 2020. The inferior intercavernous sinus: An anatomical study with application to trans-sphenoidal approaches to the pituitary gland. Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery, 196, doi:10.1016/j.clineuro.2020.106000.The original publication is available at https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/clinical-neurology-and-neurosurgeryObjectives: The inferior intercavernous sinus is located below the pituitary gland in the sella turcica. Its presence has been controversial among anatomists because it is not always found on radiological imaging or during cadaveric dissections; however, it is becoming a better-known structure in the neurosurgical and radiological fields, specifically with respect to transsphenoidal surgery. Therefore, the present study was performed to better elucidate this structure at the skull base. Patients and methods: Fifty adult, latex injected cadavers underwent dissection. The presence or absence of the inferior cavernous sinus was evaluated and when present, measurements of its width and length were made. Its connections with other intradural venous sinuses were also documented. Results: An inferior intercavernous sinus was identified in 26 % of specimens. In all specimens, it communicated with the left and right cavernous sinus. The average width and length were 3 mm and 9.5 mm, respectively. In the sagittal plane, the inferior intercavernous sinus was positioned anteriorly in 31 %, at the nadir of the sella turcica in 38 %, and slightly posterior to the nadir of the sella turcica in 31 %. In two specimens (15.4 %), the sinus was plexiform in its shape. In one specimen a diploic vein connected the basilar venous plexus to the inferior intercavernous sinus on its deep surface. Conclusion: An improved understanding of the variable anatomy of the inferior intercavernous sinus is important in pathological, surgical, and radiological cases.https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0303846720303437?via%3DihubPublishers versio