Resumen de A vein of the foramen caecum observed on angiography

Rie Aoki, Kittipong Srivatanakul, Akihiro Hirayama, Takatoshi Sorimachi, Mitsunori Matsumae

• The foramen caecum is located on the midline between the crista galli and the crest of the frontal bone. The vein of the foramen caecum (VFC) is described as a vein that connects the nasal cavity to the superior sagittal sinus through the foramen caecum. In the literature, the foramen caecum has been found to be filled with fibrous tissue and is considered that vessels cannot pass through it. Although the VFC is observed in lower mammals, the existence of the VFC in humans is still under debate because the VFC has not been confirmed even in cadavers. In some recent reports, enhanced structures resembling a vascular structure within the foramen caecum on CT and MRI have been reported but not really proven to be the VFC. Here we report a case of a VFC confirmed by digital subtraction angiography. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first VFC confirmed in humans by angiography.From embryologic and clinical point of view, the VFC is a venous remnant, although rare, we should keep this in mind to avoid some complications when treating lesions around this area.