The basilar artery and the internal carotid arteries form the circle of Willis to distribute oxygenated, arterial blood through various branches to all parts of the brain.

A calcified pineal gland situated in the midline can be seen on about 60% of all plain skull films. Its displacement can indicate the presence of a pathologic lesion if it is greater than 2 to 3 mm.

Meningocele

Circular defect seen in the middle of the occipital bone of this newborn.

A T1 weighted sagital MRI

A meningomyelocele is the most serious of possible conditions and consists of a protrusion of both the meninges and the spinal cord into the skin of the back, as shown below.

Hydrocephalus refers to an excessive accumulation of CSF within the ventricles and can be either congenital or acquired.

Hydrocephalus Shunt

In some cases a shunt (an artificial passageway) is surgically inserted to divert excess fluids. Placed between the ventricles and either the internal jugular vein, the heart, or the peritoneum, it drains excess CSF.

Meningitis

An inflammation of the meningeal coverings of the brain and spinal cord is termed meningitis.

Bacterial infection is the most common cause of meningitis.

Brain abscess (or cerebral abscess) is an abscess caused by inflammation and collection of infected material, coming from local (ear infection, dental abscess, infection of paranasal sinuses, infection of the mastoid air cells of the temporal bone, epidural abscess) or remote (lung, heart, kidney etc.) infectious sources, within the brain tissue.

Degenerative Disc Disease

T1-weighted sagittal magenetic resonanc imaging view of the spine demonstrates severe degenerative disk disease as well as fusion of L1 and L2.

Multible Sclerosis

MS involves degeneration of the myelin sheath covering the nervous tissue of the spinal cord and the white matter within the brain. This demyelination impairs nerve conduction, beginning with muscle impairment and a loss of balance and coordination.

MRI is the modality of choice

Glial tumors generate from the supporting tissues of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas account for about half of all primary brain tumors.

Medulloblastoma

medulloblastomas are soft, infiltrating tumors of neuroepithelial tissue. These rapidly growing tumors are highly malignant and most often occur in the cerebellum of children and young adults, usually extending from the roof of the fourth ventricle. They are more common in boys and rarely seen in adults.

CT is a good modality to visualize aneurysms.

CTA helps the surgeon determine the necessary stent type and size in the presurgical planning of abdominal aortic aneurysms and in the evaluation after surgery to assess the stent's effectiveness.

The ductus arteriosus is a temporary vessel that is used during in utero life. It shunts blood from the pulmonary artery into the systemic circulation because the pulmonary circulation not needed during this time.

Coarctation of the Aorta

Although the ductus arteriosus may close normally at birth, a narrowing of the aorta may occur at the junction site.

Coarctation of the Aorta

Chest radiographic images of the infant demonstrate cardiomegaly with prominence of the left side of the heart and ascending aorta and increased pulmonary vascular congestion. This condition is more common in premature infants, occurring in approximately 80% of infants born before 28 weeks of gestation, especially in those who have respiratory distress syndrome.

Ventricular septal defects involve defects between the two ventricles and are more serious because the pressure difference is greater between the ventricles than between the atria. Clinically, affected patients also have an audible heart murmur; however, it is heard a little lower on the left sternal border and at a younger age than the murmur associated with an atrial defect.

If the foramen ovale does not close at birth, an opening remains between the right and left atria. Atrial septal defects are the most common congenital heart defect, responsible for about 10% of all cases of congenital heart disease.

Tetralogy of Fallot is a combination of four defects: pulmonary stenosis, ventricular septal defect, overriding aorta, and hypertrophy of the right ventricle.

Normally, the aorta should arise from the left ventricle, but in patients with tetralogy of Fallot the aorta arises from a ventricular septal defect. In this case, the aorta overrides the right ventricle, which, in turn, results in hypertrophy of the right ventricle.

Chest radiographic image on an infant with tetralogy of Fallot. Note the “boot-shaped” cardiac shadow.

Left-Sided Failure

When the left ventricle of the heart cannot pump an amount of blood equal to the venous return in the right ventricle, the pulmonary circulatory subsystem becomes overloaded.

Right-sided heart failure.

PA (A) and lateral (B) projections of the chest in a patient with primary pulmonary hypertension show pronounced globular cardiomegaly with prominence of the pulmonary trunk and central pulmonary arteries. Peripheral pulmonary vascularity is strikingly reduced. Right ventricular enlargement has obliterated retrosternal air space on the lateral projection.

Atherosclerosis is a degenerative condition that affects the major arteries of the body, often termed hardening of the arteries.

This is a major stenosis in the left coronary artery as it bifurcates into the left anterior descending artery and another diagonal branch.

The most typical cause of meningitis:

bacterial infection

trauma

tumor compression

viral infection

A condition in which the left ventricule cannot pump an amount of blood equal to the venous return of the right ventricle is:

A; Coronary Artery Disease

B: Left-sided congestive heart failure

C: Right sided congestive heart failure

D: Patent ductus aretrious

the single most frequent cause of deaths in the united states:

congestive heart failure

coronary artery disease

transposition of great vessels

valvular disease