Study the role of vertebral artery tortuosity and hemodynamics in the association with headache and cerebrovascular diseases
Abstract
The complex and unpredictable path of the vertebral artery is closely related to symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and cerebrovascular diseases. This study aims to explore the role of vertebral artery tortuosity and hemodynamics in the association with headaches and cerebrovascular lesion by quantitatively analyzing the morphological parameters and hemodynamics of the vertebral artery. A total of 85 patients with headache symptoms and vascular lesions identified through computed tomography (CT) scans were included. A comparative analysis was then conducted to assess how different levels of vascular tortuosity affect these hemodynamic parameters. These findings indicate that vertebral artery tortuosity is more prevalent among the elderly, women, and patients with headache and vascular disease. A multivariate stepwise Logistic regression analysis highlights the ratio of the distal diameter to the tortuosity index of the left vertebral artery (d1) as a significant risk factor for headache symptoms in patients with vascular lesions. Hemodynamic analysis reveals complex flow patterns within the highly tortuous left vertebral artery, including vortices at areas of significant vascular tortuosity. The left vertebral artery with a high degree of distortion presents with high time-averaged wall shear stress (TAWSS), a high oscillatory shear index (OSI) region, and a low relative residence time (RRT). This discovery not only provides essential reference information for the morphological and hemodynamic analysis of the vertebral artery but also offers critical predictive insights for future clinical evaluations and interventions targeting patients with vertebral artery tortuosity, aiding in predicting their risk of experiencing headaches or the onset of cerebrovascular diseases.
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