Emissary veins prevalence and evaluation of the relationship between dural venous sinus anatomic variations with posterior fossa emissary veins: MR study

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to find the prevalence of emissary veins and to compare the visibility of these emissary veins with the anatomic variations of the dural venous sinuses detected in magnetic resonance venography (MRV). Materials and methods: All MR images of two hundred twenty patients were evaluated retrospectively. Posterior cranial fossa emissary veins diameter measurements were performed in the axial plane. The anatomic variations of the venous sinuses in MRVs of all patients were recorded. Accordingly, the presence of the emissary veins was compared with the dural venous sinus anatomic variations. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. An inter-observer reliability analysis was performed. Results: The prevalence of emissary veins in MRI was found in the right mastoid emissary vein (MEV) 82.7% and left MEV 81.4%. Occipital emissary vein (OEV) was present in 63 patients (28.6%) for the first radiologist (R1), and it was present in 61 patients (27.7%) for the second radiologist (R2) (K = 0.978). A statistically significant correlation was detected between the diameter of the left MEV and gender (p < 0.05) for both radiologists. There was a statistically significant difference between the left MEV and OEV and transverse sinus anatomic variations. Conclusion: MR imaging is a noninvasive and irradiating imaging method for detecting posterior fossa major emissary veins, and we recommend using MR imaging for preoperative evaluation of posterior fossa major emissary veins and related dural venous sinuses. © 2019, Italian Society of Medical Radiology.