[The extracranial carotid artery in a high-resolution real-time ultrasonic imaging system: the morphological findings in healthy young adults].
Using a high-resolution ultrasound real time scanner the average normal appearance of the carotid bifurcation, variations and especially norms for the average diameters of the common, internal and external carotid arteries were established in 53 healthy young adults. Highly significant correlations were found between a variety of anthropometric parameters (body weight, height, body surface area) and the diameters of the common and internal carotids (p less than 0.001) and less pronounced of the external carotid (p less than 0.05). No statistically significant differences between the two sides of the neck were found. The average carotid diameters were larger in men compared with women in accordance with the anthropometric data (p less than 0.001). The carotid bulb was more pronounced in men than in women (p less than 0.05). The average thickness of the "sonographic tunica intima" was 0.3 mm. This does not exactly correspond to the anatomical tunica intima, which is actually thinner. It is, however, valuable as normal reference in diagnosing early pathological changes (arteriosclerosis) of the vessel wall. Based on these measurements, pathological changes in these vessels--dilating as well as occlusive arterial disease--or variations and changes with age can definitely be better evaluated.
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D002342:Carotid Artery, External / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012016:Reference Values; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000295:instrumentation*
Die extrakranielle Arteria carotis im hochauflösenden Ultraschallechtzeit-Darstellungssystem: Morphologische Befunde bei gesunden jungen Erwachsenen.