The anatomic relationship around the horizontal segment of petrous internal carotid artery: a study based on reconstructed computed tomography angiography.

PURPOSE: The anatomic relationship around the horizontal segment of petrous internal carotid artery (ICA) is complicated. Relative researches on human patients using radiographic technique are scarce. It is essential to get adequate anatomic knowledge about this region for performing some bypass procedures.

METHODS: Using the independent software Mimics, we prospectively studied the 0.45-mm-thick computed tomography angiography (CTA) images of 29 patients (58 sides). All patients' middle cranial fossa and related critical anatomic structures were reconstructed in 3D. Some measurements were established on the multiplanar reconstructed images, including the distance from foramen ovale and foramen spinosum to the petrous ICA; the distance from the lumen of cochlea to the edge of trigeminal impression and petrous ICA; and the length of the horizontal segment of petrous ICA.

RESULTS: The horizontal segment of petrous ICA was surrounded by the trigeminal impression, the cochlea and the auditory tube spatially. On the multiplanar reconstructed CTA images, the average distances from foramen ovale and foramen spinosum to the petrous ICA were 4.1 mm and 5.8 mm, respectively; the average distance from the lumen of cochlea to the edge of trigeminal impression and petrous ICA were 8.2 mm and 2.0 mm, respectively; and the mean length of the horizontal segment of petrous ICA was 15.8 mm.

CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate adequate and reliable anatomic information can be obtained using reconstructed CTA on an individualized basis.