A New Classification of the Anatomical Variations of Labbé’s Inferior Anastomotic Vein

Abstract

(1) Background: The inferior anastomotic vein of Labbé (LV) courses on the temporal lobe, from the sylvian fissure towards the tentorium cerebelli and finishes at the transverse sinus (TS). The importance of the LV topography is related to skull base neurosurgical approaches. Based on the hypothesis of the existence of as yet unidentified anatomical possibilities of the LV, we aimed through this research to document the superficial venous topographic patterns at the lateral and inferior surfaces of the temporal lobe. (2) Methods: A retrospective cohort of 50 computed tomography angiograms (CTAs) of 32 males and 18 females was documented. (3) Results: Absent (type 0) LVs were found in 6% of cases. Anterior (temporal, squamosal–petrosal–mastoid, type 1) LVs were found in 12% of cases. LVs with a posterior, temporoparietal course (type 2) were found to be bilateral in 46% of cases and unilateral in 36% of cases. Type 3 LVs (posterior, parietooccipital) were found to be bilateral in 8% and unilateral in 32% of cases. In 24% of cases, duplicate LVs were found that were either complete or incomplete. A quadruplicate LV was found in a male case. On 78 sides, the LV drained either into a tentorial sinus or into the TS. (4) Conclusions: The anatomy of the vein of Labbé is variable in terms of its course, the number of veins and the modality of drainage; thus, it should determine personalized neurosurgical and interventional approaches. A new classification of the anatomical variations of Labbé’s vein, as detected on the CTAs, is proposed here (types 0–3).

Keywords

• vein of Labbé
• cerebral vein
• tentorium cerebelli
• tentorial sinus
• superficial middle cerebral vein
• computed tomography