Diagnosing common carotid artery agenesis using duplex ultrasound

Vasc Endovascular Surg. 2011 Nov;45(8):727-32. doi: 10.1177/1538574411418013.

Abstract

The complete absence of a common carotid artery, also known as common carotid artery (CCA) agenesis, is a well-described yet extremely rare congenital anomaly. Most carotid system anomalies are related to origins of the external or internal carotid arteries. All such anomalies are typically asymptomatic unless associated with a concomitant arterial lesion that results in a workup for symptomatic intracerebral pathology or a focal neurological deficit. The literature is scant on the topic, being limited to singular case reports. We report 3 cases of CCA agenesis and provide the readers with insightful data on the available literature.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Carotid Artery, Common / abnormalities*
  • Carotid Artery, Common / diagnostic imaging*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Angiography
  • Middle Aged
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Ultrasonography, Doppler, Duplex*
  • Vascular Malformations / diagnostic imaging*