Interrelation of the branching pattern of the superficial arteries of the cerebellum and cerebellar shape

Abstract

The superior surface of the cerebellum is supplied by the superior cerebellar artery (SCA), while the inferior surface is nourished by the anterior inferior cerebellar artery (AICA) and the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA). Traditionally, the branching pattern of the superficial vascular bed is described in one of three types: trunk, loose or mixed, depending on the diameter of the vessels and the number of anastomoses forming the vascular network. However, a more precise morphometric method for studying the branching pattern of the vascular bed is fractal analysis. The aim is to investigate the fractal dimension of branching complexity of superficial arteries in the human cerebellum and to establish the relationship between the magnitude of the fractal index and the shape of the cerebellum. Materials and Methods: Fifteen samples of the cerebellum, along with the brainstem, were examined. The samples were obtained from the cadavers of adult individuals (9 male and 6 female) who died from non-brain-related causes. The likelihood of a loose branching type increases with an increase in rH and a decrease in rL of the cerebellum, whereas for the trunk type, the opposite trend is observed.