Developmental anomalies of the circle of Willis and their relation to vascular brain lesions
Tarnowska-Dziduszko, E.; Ostrowska, D.
Neuropatologia Polska 18(3): 399-416
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-3894 PMID: 7432639 Document Number: 154646
From 1000 autopsies of patients with diseases of CNS, 281 cases presented developmental anomalies of cerebral arterial circle. The detailed analysis was limited to 161 cases with coexistent foci of encephalomalacia. Besides simple malformations in 1 portion of arterial circle, often more complex malformations were observed. Developmental anomalies most often involved the posterior communica arteries and posterior cerebral arteries (so-called fetal branching of posterior cerebral artery). Separate group of anomalies consisted of cases with hypoplasia of the vessels of the whole arterial circle or its vertebro-basilar portion. Malformations of arterial circle were more frequent in the encephalomalatic foci than with hemorrhages and with other diseases of CNS. The difference is statistically significant. Localization of atherosclerotic changes in the malformed arterial circles did not differ in presented material from the pattern cited in the literature. Vessel hypoplasia often occurred with fibrous rebuilding of the vascular walls than with the formation of atherosclerotic plaques. The analysis of localization, spread and age of encephalomalatic foci in the CNS and of the character of anomalies in arterial circle revealed some interrelations. The simple anomaly of arterial circle may favor the development of encephalomalatic focus or modify the picture and the extent of tissue impairment. Complex anomalies and hypoplasia of vessels of arterial circle connected with a simple anomaly can be associated with multiple encephalomalatic foci.