Variability of the course of the posterior cerebral artery in humans

: The aim of the paper has been to perform studies on the variation involving the course of the posterior cerebral artery in man. It has been intended to find out whether there is any relation between the course of artery and its branches depending on the sex and the side of the cerebral hemisphere. The use of binding anatomical terminology was designed to verify and update the nomenclature of vessels in this arterial area. The studies were carried out on 102 encephalons stemming from 47 males and 55 females, whose average age was 55.5 and 59.8 years respectively. Prior to the investigations the vessels were injected with polymerizing resins. The posterior cerebral artery and its branches were prepared anatomically. The obtained results of measuring the vessels were elaborated statistically. No sexual dimorphism was revealed with regard to origin and course of the posterior cerebral artery. No differentiation concerning the course of vessels in the right and left hemispheres was recorded. The greatest variation was shown by the angles, at which the vessels branched off. Cases of hitherto undescribed anatomical variants of the cerebral arteries, branches of posterior cerebral artery, were disclosed.