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Updated: Nov 29, 2025

A Multicenter MRI Protocol for the Evaluation and Quantification of Deep Vein Thrombosis
Published on: June 2, 2015
Prevalence and anatomical characteristics of developmental venous anomalies: an MRI study
Karolina Brzegowy1, Natalia Kowalska2, Bernard Solewski2
1Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland. karolina.brzegowy@gmail.com.
Purpose:
Developmental venous anomalies (DVAs) are extreme anatomical venous variations formed by multiple radiating medullary veins, which converge centripetally into a single collecting vein. Their coexistence with symptomatic cavernous malformations (CMs) has been reported in the literature. The aim of this study was to assess the characteristics of DVAs using MRI.
Methods:
A total of 6948 head MRIs of adult Caucasian patients were retrospectively analyzed to determine the number and locations of DVAs. We collected the data on the termination of the collecting vein, the prevalence of DVA-related CMs, and MRI FLAIR signal-hyperintensity corresponding to the location of the DVA.
Results:
At least one DVA was identified in 7.46% of the patients. The prevalence decreased with age, with a Pearson correlation coefficient of - 0.7328. A total of 599 DVAs were identified. Multiple DVAs were found in 10.92% of the patients with DVAs. The DVAs were identified more often in the supratentorial region (73.12%, p < 0.0001), and the most common location was the frontal lobe (35.23%). The collecting vein usually drained into the superficial cerebral veins (68.78%). CMs were observed in 4.14% of the patients with DVAs, and the prevalence showed a positive correlation with age. Signal-intensity abnormalities were identified in the vicinity of 5.18% DVAs.
Conclusion:
Knowledge about characteristics of DVAs and associated anomalies is essential for neuroradiologists and neurosurgeons. The large number of currently available diagnostic studies enables us to assess anatomical variants on a great number of subjects.
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