Vertebral and carotid artery anomalies in patients with aberrant right subclavian arteries.
BACKGROUND
There is little published evidence regarding the patterns and prevalence of vertebral artery (VA) and common carotid artery (CCA) anomalies in patients with an aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSCA).


OBJECTIVE
To study the patterns and prevalence of VA and CCA anomalies in patients with ARSCA.


METHODS
In a 2-year period we reviewed the children referred with suspected vascular ring who had undergone multidetector-row CT. Patients with ARSCA were reviewed for VA and CCA patterns and their prevalence and relevance were calculated.


RESULTS
In total, 102 patients with ARSCA were identified. VA anomalies were present in 16 patients (15.7%), and CCA anomalies (common carotid trunk) in 21 patients (20.6%). In some patients with VA anomalies, the right VA arose from the right CCA and in some the left VA arose from the aortic arch. When the left VA arose from the aortic arch it was situated between the left CCA and the left SCA or between the left SCA and the ARSCA.


CONCLUSIONS
If neurointerventionalists understand these potential anomalies and their prevalence, time and contrast medium could be saved when catheterizing the VA and CCA in patients with ARSCA.
Tsai
I-Chen
IC
Department of Radiology, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, No.160, Sec. 3, Taichung Harbor Road, Taichung 407, Taiwan, Republic of China.
Tzeng
Wen-Sheng
WS
Lee
Tain
T
Jan
Sheng-Lin
SL
Fu
Yun-Ching
YC
Chen
Min-Chi
MC
Lin
Pao-Chun
PC
Liao
Wan-Chun
WC
Chen
Clayton Chi-Chang
CC
D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000792:Angiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D013348:Subclavian Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging