Vascular Anatomy of the Spinal Cord

This book systematically describes the angioarchitecture of the spinal cord. Microradiographs of superficial and intrinsic arterial supply and venous drainage patterns provide the anatomical basis needed to understand spinal vascular disorders. These post mortem studies are supplemented by clinical spinal angiographies and case studies.

Rapid advances in imaging technology have facilitated the solution of many diagnostic problems concerning diseases of the spine and spinal cord. But this is less true for vascular diseases of the spinal cord or diseases secondarily involving them. Furthermore, safely using interventional procedures or open surgery still requires a profound knowledge of the vascular anatomy involved. Accordingly, a growing demand for training in this special field has become evident over the last 25 years, making improvement of this knowledge in all Neuro-Specialities dealing with diagnostic and therapeutic problems of spinal disorders a highly desirable goal.

Armin Thron is professor of Neuroradiology. Until March 2010 he was the Head of the Department of Neuroradiology at the University Clinic and Technical University Aachen, Germany. From 1996 until 1999 he was the President of the German Society of Neuroradiology and from 1996 until 2002 he was the President of the Professional Association of German Neuroradiologists. Prof. Thorn has a special interest in spinal diseases and vascular diseases of the spinal cord. He is author of various textbook contributions concerning mainly diagnostic and interventional neuroradiology.