Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39968008›Full record

ArticleJournal of pain research2025

Anatomical Location of the Segmental Spinal Arteries in the Cervical Intervertebral Foramina: 3D-Micro CT Findings Relevant to Transforaminal Epidural Injection.

Byongnam Jun, Hun-Mu Yang, Dong Ah Shin, Hyun Ho Jung, Tae-Hyeon Cho, Shin Hyung Kim

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Article in Journal of pain research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Byongnam JunDepartment of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-2293-9647
Hun-Mu YangTranslational Laboratory for Clinical Anatomy, Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Dong Ah ShinDepartment of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Hyun Ho JungDepartment of Neurosurgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0002-8289-564X
Tae-Hyeon Cho *Translational Research Unit for Anatomy and Analgesia, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Shin Hyung Kim *Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.ORCID 0000-0003-4058-7697

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Purpose: Cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) is a common treatment for cervical radiculopathy but carries potential risks because of the presence of crucial arteries in the intervertebral foramina (IVF). This study analyzed the precise anatomical location of the segmental spinal artery (SSA) within the cervical IVF using 3D micro-CT imaging to provide guidance for safer TFESI procedures. Participants and Methods: Fourteen embalmed cadavers were used in this study: three for serial sectional dissection, two for histological examination, and nine for micro-CT analysis. Each IVF was divided into quadrants (ASQ, antero-superior quadrant; PSQ, postero-superior quadrant; AIQ, antero-inferior quadrant; PIQ, postero-inferior quadrant) for detailed measurements of SSA locations, comparing dimensions and spatial relationships among C4-5, C5-6, and C6-7 levels. Results: Forty-four IVFs were analyzed by micro-CT, and the results revealed that SSAs were predominantly located in the ASQ (36 of 44 cases, 82%) and PSQ (8 of 44 cases, 18%) of the IVF. No SSAs were observed in the AIQ and PIQ. Significant dimensions and shapes were consistent across individuals, with cervical IVF increasing in size from C4-5 to C6-7. Conclusion: Together, these findings demonstrated the predominance of SSAs in the ASQ, emphasizing the need for precise anatomical guidance during TFESI to avoid vascular injury. In addition, the cervical spine exhibits anatomical variability, indicating that greater caution is required when treating the cervical spine compared with the lumbar spine and highlighting the importance of targeting the PIQ to avoid the SSA and other vascular structures.

Indexed as

cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injectionmicro-computed tomographysegmental spinal artery

Identifiers

PMID39968008
PMCPMC11834657

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.