Abstract
We monitored changes in caliber, position and branching of blood vessels in fetuses of 4 - 9 months of intrauterine life. By precise dissection we prepared starting parts of common carotid artery and internal jugular vein in 40 cadaver fetuses. The vessels were injected with Telebrix and subjected to postmortem angiography at the Institute of Radiology Clinics Center in Sarajevo. Thereafter, arteries obtained were compared and analyzed. In preparations of few months old fetal material we observed arteries of fairly straight course, low caliber and with no observable ramification. When preparations of more mature stillborn infants were examined, we detected arteries of undulating course, more expressed ramification and higher caliber. In stillborn babies, all three arteries are of high caliber with rich branching. Considering that in this phase of brain development sulcuses are relatively wide, we can say that course of arteries is partially tortuous. Analysis of venous vessels shows good distinction of venous sinuses and subarachnoidal cisterns. We can conclude with great certainty that the changes occur in position, caliber and relationship among vessels in fetus during the period of brain sulci and gyri formation.
Highlights
Large cerebral arteries develop concurrently with cerebral hemispheres reaching their utmost development in the second and third month of human fetal life (1)
Middle cerebral artery and posterior cerebral artery are displayed on angiograms of fetuses of 16 weeks intrauterine life
The contrast medium was injected through internal carotid artery, retrograde filling occurred though cerebral arterial circle of Willis and basilar artery and vertebral arteries. (Fig. 1) Angiograms of fetuses of 20 weeks intrauterine life show arteries of somewhat higher caliber
Summary
Large cerebral arteries develop concurrently with cerebral hemispheres reaching their utmost development in the second and third month of human fetal life (1). Moniz's presentation of cerebral angiography as a new diagnostic method for localizing pathological changes enabled clinical researchers to estimate the adequacy of collateral circulation Upgrade in this technique, i.e. introduction of serial angiography, enables visualization of cerebral arteries and veins and provides more anatomic details regarding course, caliber, direction and possible anastomoses between cerebral arteries. Newton and Potts (3) emphasize that normal prenatal angio-architecture is more understandable and pathogenesis of safe congenital anomalies may be illuminated if data on prenatal growth and topographic change of different arteries are known These authors have prepared a detailed study of the cerebral arterial system in fetus, which included methods such as vascular injections, molding, dissection and roentgenography-anatomical analyses. Through the development of corpus callosum, anterior cerebral artery gradually loses its vertical course and becomes bent more forward
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