Vertebral artery hypoplasia
Last revised by Makhovskyi Stanislav
on 13 Aug 2022
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Baba Y, Stanislav M, Bell D, et al. Vertebral artery hypoplasia. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 09 Dec 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-75399
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rID:
75399
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Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Yahya Baba had no recorded disclosures.
View Yahya Baba's current disclosures
Last revised:
13 Aug 2022,
Makhovskyi Stanislav
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Makhovskyi Stanislav had no recorded disclosures.
View Makhovskyi Stanislav's current disclosures
Revisions:
4 times, by
4 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Hypoplastic vertebral arteries
- Hypoplastic vertebral artery
Vertebral artery hypoplasia is a congenital anatomical variation characterized by underdevelopment of the vertebral artery.
On this page:
Epidemiology
The prevalence of hypoplastic vertebral arteries is reported to be 2-6% from autopsy and angiograms 1.
Clinical presentation
These are an asymptomatic anatomical variation in healthy people and there are no signs of vertebrobasilar insufficiency, even among patients with pronounced asymmetry 2.
Radiographic features
There is no clear consensus on the definition of the hypoplastic vertebral artery, but is defined by some authors as 2:
- vertebral artery luminal diameter <2.2 mm
- vertebral artery volume flow <30-40 mL/min on color duplex ultrasonography
Complications
Individuals with hypoplastic vertebral artery are more likely to develop inferior cerebellar artery or lateral medullary infarction.
Healthy subjects presenting this condition demonstrated abnormal vestibular evoked myogenic potential 3.
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Differential diagnosis
- vertebral artery dissection
- vertebral artery ostial stenosis
References
- 1. Chuang YM, Chan L, Wu HM, Lee SP, Chu YT. The clinical relevance of vertebral artery hypoplasia. (2012) Acta neurologica Taiwanica. 21 (1): 1-7. Pubmed
- 2. Park JH, Kim JM, Roh JK. Hypoplastic vertebral artery: frequency and associations with ischaemic stroke territory. (2007) Journal of neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry. 78 (9): 954-8. doi:10.1136/jnnp.2006.105767 - Pubmed
- 3. Chuang YM, Chen CC, Lin CP. Vertebral artery hypoplasia may contribute to abnormal vestibular evoked myogenic potentials. (2009) Acta neurologica Taiwanica. 18 (2): 113-7. Pubmed
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