Segmental agenesis of the internal carotid artery distal to the posterior communicating artery leading to the definition of a new embryologic segment.
We report a case of segmental agenesis of the right internal carotid artery (ICA) in a 53-year-old woman, associated with a saccular aneurysm of the left anterior cerebral artery (A1 segment) presenting with a right hemispheric transient ischemic attack. The agenetic segment was located distal to the origin of the posterior communicating artery (PComA), as documented both angiographically and by direct surgical inspection. This observation suggests the existence of a previously unrecognized embryologic segment of the ICA, located between the PComA origin and the terminal bifurcation of the ICA into the anterior and middle cerebral arteries.
Division of Interventional Neuroradiology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Philippe
P
Gailloud
Richard E
RE
Clatterbuck
Jean H D
JH
Fasel
Rafael J
RJ
Tamargo
Kieran J
KJ
Murphy
D015901:Angiography, Digital Subtraction; D002343:Carotid Artery, Internal / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000196:embryology* / Q000601:surgery; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020769:Posterior Cerebral Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology* / Q000601:surgery; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed