PURPOSE: To describe a case of atypical course of V3 segment of the right vertebral artery (VA) that runs through the hypoglossal canal. METHODS: A 60-year-old female was qualified as clinical control group to participate in a clinical trial and two imaging methods in High Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging (1.5T): 3D FFE TOF and 3D T1 MPRAGE were performed. RESULTS: In this case, the right VA enters the skull abnormally, through the hypoglossal canal. Research has shown that it is presumably a variant of persistent primitive hypoglossal artery (PPHA) or a partial persistence of the PPHA incorporated into the VA. Previous MRI images did not reveal any abnormalities in the structure in the vasculature of the brain, as well. CONCLUSION: Proper recognition and analysis of vascular variations are critical to avoid iatrogenic complications or to plan surgery of head or neck regions. Secondly, such anatomic variation may predispose a patient to ischemic attacks due to insufficient blood flow or aneurysms due to a weakened wall or stenosis of the VA.