RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Nonbifurcating Cervical Carotid Artery Diagnosed by MR Angiography
JF American Journal of Neuroradiology
JO Am. J. Neuroradiol.
FD American Society of Neuroradiology
SP 1119
OP 1122
DO 10.3174/ajnr.A2462
VO 32
IS 6
A1 Uchino, A.
A1 Saito, N.
A1 Watadani, T.
A1 Mizukoshi, W.
A1 Nakajima, R.
YR 2011
UL http://www.ajnr.org/content/32/6/1119.abstract
AB BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: A nonbifurcating cervical carotid artery is a branching anomaly in which the ECA has no proximal main trunk. We report its incidence and characteristic features on MRA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed MRAs of 2866 patients obtained by using a standard noncontrast MRA protocol and two 1.5T MR imaging units and reviewed the English language literature to assess the occurrence and features of this nonbifurcating artery. RESULTS: We diagnosed 6 cases, indicating an incidence of 0.21%, and found 11 cases reported in the literature. Analysis of all 17 cases demonstrated no laterality or sex predominance. The most prevalent pattern of branching order from proximal to distal was the F-L trunk, the distal trunk of the ECA, and the OA. CONCLUSIONS: A nonbifurcating cervical carotid artery is rare but not as extremely rare as previously considered, and its correct diagnosis is necessary to avoid complications during interventional radiologic procedures or head and neck surgeries. APAascending pharyngeal arteryCCAcommon carotid arteryDSAdigital subtraction angiographyECAexternal carotid arteryFAfacial arteryF-Lfacial-lingualICAinternal carotid arteryLAlingual arteryMIPmaximum intensity projectionMRAMR angiographyOAoccipital arteryTOFtime-of-flightVAvertebral artery