Identification of the ascending middle cerebral artery branches on digital subtraction angiography.

We aimed to establish a method for identifying the ascending convexity branches of the middle cerebral artery on digital subtraction arteriography. We reviewed 100 randomly chosen lateral internal carotid arteriograms of patients with aneurysms. After identifying the Sylvian triangle, the posterior internal frontal, paracentral, superior internal parietal and pericallosal arteries, we formulated templates in order to assess the position of the angular, posterior parietal, central, precentral and prefrontal arteries. Using the Sylvian triangle as a template, we identified the angular and posterior parietal arteries in 91% and 96% of cases, respectively. Using a combination of the posterior internal frontal, paracentral, superior internal frontal and pericallosal arteries a template could be formulated in 87% of cases. This was successfully used to identify the central arteries. A template derived from the pericallosal artery and Sylvian triangle was used to identify the prefrontal arteries in 83% of cases. Templates can be formulated on the basis of the Sylvian triangle and anterior cerebral artery branches for consistent identification of branches of the ascending complex of the middle cerebral artery on digital subtraction angiography.