Fig. 2.

(a and b). Sectional representation of the arterial blood supply and feeling vessels to spinal cord (see the text for further details), whose catheterization is mandatory during spinal angiography. Along the cranio-caudal direction, the angiographic study should include and demonstrate: vertebral arteries, ascending cervical arteries, deep cervical arteries (not shown), supreme intercostal arteries, intercostal arteries, lumbar arteries, median and lateral sacral arteries.

Identification of the artery of Adamkiewicz is essential, because spinal vascular malformations might themselves originate from this major feeder of the anterior spinal artery.