Transparent Posterior Spinal Arteries

Description

Seen through a semi-transparent cervical vertebral column, the spinal cord occupies the vertebral canal while paired posterior spinal arteries trace a serpentine course along the dorsolateral surface of the cord. Each vessel runs longitudinally, posterior to the lateral funiculus and near the posterior root entry zone, with small pial branches arcing medially toward the posterior median sulcus. Segmental contributions consistent with vertebral artery branches and radiculopial feeders are suggested along the upper cervical levels, reinforcing how discontinuous inflow sustains an apparently continuous dorsal arterial channel. Posterior spinal artery anatomy matters when dorsal cord perfusion is at risk, because this territory supplies much of the posterior columns and portions of the dorsal horn, structures implicated in vibration and proprioception loss. In posterior spinal artery syndrome, patients can present with sensory ataxia and impaired position sense while motor pathways may remain relatively spared, a pattern that differs from anterior spinal artery infarction. This posterior perspective also maps cleanly onto operative and endovascular thinking in the cervical region, where vertebral artery pathology, radicular feeder sacrifice, or compressive lesions can compromise pial circulation around the cord. Small vessels. Big consequences. Use this illustration for neuroanatomy and spine modules covering spinal cord blood supply, for textbook figures comparing anterior versus posterior cord vascular territories, or for clinical education on ischemic myelopathy patterns and vertebral artery interventions. It also supports surgical planning discussions in cervical decompression, tumor resection, and deformity correction where preserving radiculopial inflow helps reduce postoperative dorsal column deficits. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.