Venous Drainage of the Craniocervical Junction: a Retrospective Anatomical Study (SVCR MR1) (SVCR MR1)

Venous Drainage of the Craniocervical Junction: a Retrospective Anatomical Study

This study aims to examine the feasibility of distinctly visualizing the different cervical venous networks (subcutaneous, muscular, extra-canalicular, and intra-canalicular) using dedicated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences. Theoretically, these venous networks contribute to the complex distribution of blood drainage in the cervical region, but their precise identification on imaging remains challenging.The objectives of this research are twofold: first, to assess the ability of MRI to differentiate each venous network, thereby enhancing the anatomical and functional understanding of this region; and second, to explore the possibility of grouping patients according to the predominant venous network, which could reveal significant physiological variations and specific anatomical profiles.The results could not only refine the diagnosis of cervical vascular pathologies but also guide targeted therapeutic approaches.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Study of Venous Drainage of the Cranio-Cervical Junction Using MRI

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 160

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• France
  • Brest, France, 29609
    • CHU Brest

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients from the Brest University Hospital who underwent a cranio-cervical MRI with injected T1 GRE sequence between January 1, 2019, and November 1, 2024.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patient affiliated with a social security system
• Age >18 years
• Patient who underwent a T1 Angio-MRI with gradient echo and contrast agent of the cranio-cervical region, regardless of the indication, at the Brest University Hospital between 01/01/2019 and 01/11/2024

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients under judicial protection (guardianship, curatorship, etc.) Refusal to participate (expressed opposition) History of venous occlusive pathology OR vascular pathology such as cerebral or spinal AVM/FAV History of posterior cranial fossa surgery OR surgical approach to the posterior cervical spine History of radiotherapy/chemotherapy/any known vein-toxic therapies

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of venous vessel in the four venous networks (subcutaneous, muscular, extra-canal, and intra-canal).	Determine, for each patient, which cervical venous network is dominant and identify whether each patient exhibits all four venous networks (subcutaneous, muscular, extra-canal, and intra-canal).	at the time of inclusion

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Number of vessel in each groups	Assess the relative significance of each identified venous network.	at the time of inclusion
number of vessel on the left and the right in one patient	Examine whether there is a dominance of venous drainage on the right or left side in the same patient	at the time of inclusion

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University Hospital, Brest

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): December 1, 2024
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2025
• Study Completion (Estimated): May 31, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 4, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 4, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 4, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 29BRC24.0312 - SVCR MR1

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: All collected data that underlie results in a publication
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Data will be available beginning three years and ending fifteen years following the final study report completion
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: Data access requests will be reviewed by the internal committee of Brest UH. Requestors will be required to sign and complete a data access agreement
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No