Transparent Posterior Spinal Arteries

Description

Running longitudinally along the posterolateral surface of the cervical spinal cord, the paired posterior spinal arteries are rendered as transparent channels with fine arteriolar branches penetrating medially into the dorsal columns and dorsal horn. Segmental radicular contributions approach the cord alongside the dorsal nerve roots, then blend into the pial arterial network (vasocorona) that circumferentially links posterior and anterior territories. Surrounding context includes the cervical vertebral bodies and posterior elements with intervening intervertebral discs, framing the spinal canal while emphasizing the relationship of these vessels to the dorsal root entry zone. Orientation favors a posterior cervical spine perspective. Small branches dive deep. Perfusion of the posterior third of the cord is the teaching point, because these arteries supply the fasciculi gracilis and cuneatus, posterior horn, and portions of the lateral funiculus, regions implicated in proprioceptive loss and sensory ataxia when ischemia occurs. Although anterior spinal artery infarction is discussed more often, occlusion or hypoperfusion of posterior spinal arteries and their radicular feeders can produce a posterior cord syndrome pattern and can complicate cervical procedures when segmental vessels are sacrificed. For surgeons working in the posterior cervical canal, this view clarifies where pial vessels and penetrating arterioles may be encountered during laminectomy, intradural tumor exposure, or dorsal root entry zone interventions. Appropriate for gross anatomy and neuroanatomy courses covering spinal cord blood supply, as well as neurosurgery and neuroradiology teaching files that need a clean map of posterior spinal vasculature in the cervical region. Medical publishers can pair it with discussions of posterior spinal artery infarction, dorsal column dysfunction, and segmental radicular artery variability in adult male anatomy. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.