Corpus: Vertebral artery

The vertebral artery is a branch of the subclavian artery. Alongside the internal carotid artery, it is one of the most important vessels supplying blood to the brain.

2.1. Cervical course

The vertebral artery originates in the thoracic cavity and ascends between the longus colli muscle and the scalene anterior muscle to the sixth cervical vertebra. Here, it passes through the transverse foramen in the transverse process of the sixth cervical vertebra and continues vertically through the corresponding foramina of the fifth to the first cervical vertebrae towards the skull. This series of transverse foramina is also known as the transverse process canal. In this section, the vertebral artery runs almost parallel to the common carotid artery.

At the level of the first cervical vertebra (atlas), the vertebral artery curves around the posterior part of the vertebral arch in a posterior loop and is covered by the semispinalis capitis muscle. At this point, it can be reliably located in the suboccipital triangle. The artery then enters the cranial cavity through the foramen magnum. The following segment of the artery is referred to as the "intracranial part".

2.2. Intracranial course

Once inside the skull, the vertebral artery pierces the dura mater and runs medially along the front of the medulla oblongata. At the lower edge of the pons, the left and right vertebral arteries merge to form the basilar artery, which then contributes to the cerebral arterial circle (Circle of Willis).

• Meningeal branches: Supply the dura mater
• Posterior spinal artery: Supplies the spinal cord
• Anterior spinal artery: Supplies the spinal cord
• Posterior inferior cerebellar artery: Supplies part of the cerebellum
• Basilar artery

The vertebral artery is divided into 4 segments, particularly in the clinical view of the vertebral artery: