Pontine arteries in brainstem glioma

Five cases of brainstem tumor are presented. In each case, hypertrophied and stretched transpontine arteries could be identified in the Towne projection of the vertebral angiogram. The abnormal pontine vessels clearly indicated the transverse enlargement of the brainstem. The identification of enlarged transpontine arteries indicates a brainstem mass and helps to exclude extrinsic lesions even when confusing paradoxical vascular displacements are present.