These vessels are the vertebral arteries. They ascend from the upper chest and enter the skull at the base of the brain- the foramen magnum. These two vessels form the “Circle of Willis” and bring blood supply to the base of the brain and the cerebellum.
The reason these arteries can have different appearances is the movement of the blood while the scan is being taken. MRI scans are like old time pictures in the wild west. If you have ever seen these pictures, some individuals look like ghosts as their appearance is smudged if they move while the picture is being taken.
The same thing happens with movement while the scan is taken. You can’t ask blood to stand still and this motion will “color” the blood depending upon the phase of the scan taken.
Dr. Corenman
PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
