Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Variation of the origin of the left common carotid artery diagnosed by CT angiography

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

The left common carotid artery (LCCA) is usually a second branch of the aortic arch that arises between the brachiocephalic trunk (BCT) and left subclavian artery; relatively frequently, it also arises from or shares a common origin with the BCT. In patients with LCCA of anomalous origin, transfemoral catheterization into the LCCA is sometimes difficult, and transbrachial or transradial approach may be recommended. We evaluated the prevalence of these variations on computed tomography (CT) angiography.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed CT angiographic images of 2,357 patients obtained using either of two 64-slice multidetector CT scanners. All patients were Japanese and underwent scanning from the aortic arch to the intracranial region; most had or were suspected of having cerebrovascular diseases.

Results

We evaluated CT angiographic images of 2,352 patients after excluding four patients with LCCA occluded at its origin. The LCCA arose from the BCT in 141 patients (6.0 %) and had a common origin with the BCT in 130 patients (5.5 %). We found 11 aberrant right subclavian artery (0.47 %), and four of the 11 patients (36 %) had LCCA of common origin with the right common carotid artery, forming a bicarotid trunk (prevalence: 0.17 %).

Conclusions

The total prevalence of variations of LCCA origin diagnosed by CT angiography was 11.7 %.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Adachi B (1928) Das arteriensystem der Japaner, vol 1. Maruzen, Kyoto, pp 29–41

    Google Scholar 

  2. Berko NS, Jain VR, Godelman A, Stein EG, Ghosh S, Haramati LB (2009) Variants and anomalies of thoracic vasculature on computed tomographic angiography in adults. J Comput Assist Tomogr 33:523–528

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Faggioli GL, Ferri M, Freyrie A, Gargiulo M, Fratesi F, Rossi C, Manzoli L, Stella A (2007) Aortic arch anomalies are associated with increased risk of neurological events in carotid stent procedures. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 33:436–441

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Freed K, Low VH (1997) The aberrant subclavian artery. AJR Am J Roentgenol 168:481–484

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Jakanani GC, Adair W (2010) Frequency of variations in aortic arch anatomy depicted on multidetector CT. Clin Radiol 65:481–487

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Layton KF, Kallmes DF, Cloft HJ, Lindell EP, Cox VS (2006) Bovine aortic arch variant in humans: clarification of a common misnomer. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 27:1541–1542

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. McDonald JJ, Anson BJ (1940) Variations in the origin of arteries derived from the aortic arch, in American whites and negroes. Am J Phys Anthropol 27:91–107

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Mueller M, Schmitz BL, Pauls S, Schick M, Roehrer S, Kapapa T, Schloetzer W (2011) Variations of the aortic arch—a study on the most common branching patterns. Acta Radiol 52:738–742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Natsis KI, Tsitouridis IA, Didagelos MV, Fillipidis AA, Vlasis KG, Tsikaras PD (2009) Anatomical variations in the branches of the human aortic arch in 633 angiographies: clinical significance and literature review. Surg Radiol Anat 31:319–323

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Padget DH (1948) The development of the cranial arteries in the human embryo. Contrib Embryol 32:207–261

    Google Scholar 

  11. Shaw JA, Gravereaux EC, Eisenhauer AC (2003) Carotid stenting in the bovine arch. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 60:566–569

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Turgut HB, Peker T, Anil A, Barut C (2001) Patent ductus arteriosus, large right pulmonary artery and brachiocephalic trunk variations. A case report. Surg Radiol Anat 23:69–72

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Uchino A, Saito N, Okada Y, Kozawa E, Nishi N, Mizukoshi W, Inoue K, Nakajima R, Takahashi M (2012) Persistent hypoglossal artery and its variants diagnosed by CT and MR angiography. Neuroradiology. doi:10.1007/s00234-012-1074-0 (e-pub ahead of print)

  14. Uchino A, Saito N, Watadani T, Mizukoshi W, Nakajima R (2011) Nonbifurcating cervical carotid artery diagnosed by MR angiography. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 32:1119–1122

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Wang K, Zhang M, Sun J, Zhao S (2011) A right-left aortic arch pattern made up by a bicarotid trunk, a left subclavian, a left vertebral and a right retroesophageal subclavian artery. Surg Radiol Anat 33:937–940

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Williams GD, Aff HM, Schmeckebier M, Edmonds HM, Graul EG (1932) Variations in the arrangement of the branches arising from the aortic arch in American whites and negroes. Anat Rec 54:247–251

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Yildiz S, Cece H, Karayol S, Ziylan Z (2010) Concurrence of the tortuosity of bilateral common and left internal carotid arteries in a case with common origin of the innominate trunk and left common carotid artery. Surg Radiol Anat 32:797–799

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Tatsuo Umezawa RT, and Itsuki Nagazumi RT for their contribution to CT angiography, and Rosalyn Uhrig MA, for editorial assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.

Conflict of interest

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka, Saitama, 350-1298, Japan

    Akira Uchino, Naoko Saito, Yoshitaka Okada, Eito Kozawa, Naoko Nishi, Waka Mizukoshi, Reiko Nakajima, Masahiro Takahashi & Yusuke Watanabe

Authors
  1. Akira Uchino
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Naoko Saito
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yoshitaka Okada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Eito Kozawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Naoko Nishi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Waka Mizukoshi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Reiko Nakajima
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Masahiro Takahashi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Yusuke Watanabe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Akira Uchino.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Uchino, A., Saito, N., Okada, Y. et al. Variation of the origin of the left common carotid artery diagnosed by CT angiography. Surg Radiol Anat 35, 339–342 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-012-1038-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00276-012-1038-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation