MR Angiography of the Adamkiewicz Artery and Anterior Radiculomedullary Vein: Postmortem Validation

SUMMARY: Spinal cord arteries and veins are difficult to visualize and distinguish by MR angiographic techniques because of their small sizes, similar spatial course, and close vascular anatomy. Contrast-enhanced MR angiography was demonstrated to dynamically resolve the Adamkiewicz artery from the anterior radiculomedullary vein in the thoracolumbar spinal cord. The location of the Adamkiewicz artery and the anterior radiculomedullary vein could be validated in the postmortem specimen of a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm patient. MR angiography (MRA) has recently emerged as an al-ternative imaging technique to digital subtraction an-giography (DSA) for depiction of the spinal cord arteries, in particular the Adamkiewicz artery (AKA)1-8; however, be-cause of the similar spatial course and close vascular anat-omy of the spinal cord arteries and veins, separation of these vessels is rather difficult. To the best of our knowl-edge, no validation of the use of MRA for imaging the spinal cord arteries and veins has been provided. This case report describes a postmortem validation of the localization of th