Angiography of the Human Brain Cortex

Considering the numerous works dealing with the angiography of the human brain, the book presented by SZIKLA et al. might seem to some to be devoted to superfluous precision, especially as it is inspired by "stereotactic" thinking. The large arterial trunks and their branches were described by anatomists for a long time, then were restudied by neuroradiologists for recognition in a more and more detailed manner on arteriograms. However, until now no encompassing work has been done to specify precisely the relationship of the blood vessels to that large and important organ, the human brain cortex, thereby permitting the recognition of the sulci and gyri as a function of the successive curves imposed on the various vessels by the deep infoldings of the cortex. Insofar as the radiologic evaluation of the cerebral cortex is concerned, fractional pneumoencephalography allows the injection of a number of sulci and fissures via the subarachnoid spaces. It should be pointed out, however, that sufficiently complete and interpretable images are obtained only under favorable circumstances (successful technique, cerebral atrophy, absence of cerebral edema, absence of arachnoid symphysis, etc. ). In addition a large number of sulci cannot be made visible by pneumography for strictly anatomic reasons such as the level of their opening into cisternal spaces.