Angiographic study on the vertebral artery in cases of deformities of the occipitocervical joint.

Abstract

Vertebral arteriography was performed on 25 patients affected by basilar impression and was compared with those of 100 control subjects who had no malformation of the occipitocervical joint.The comparative analysis of these cases showed a significantly higher incidence of anomalies in caliber and ending of the vertebral artery in patients with bone malformation.In the authors' opinion, an altered embryogenic development is responsible for these changes.