title: Digital-image analysis of the left common carotid artery in human foetuses.
abstract: The rate of growth of the left common carotid artery during gestation has not been sufficiently evaluated. The present study was performed on 128 spontaneously aborted human foetuses aged 15-34 weeks to compile normative data for the dimensions of the left common carotid artery at varying gestational ages. Using anatomical dissection, digital image analysis (system of Leica Q Win Pro 16) and statistical analysis (ANOVA, regression analysis), a range of measurements (length, original external diameter and volume) for the left common carotid artery during gestation was examined. No significant gender differences were found (p > 0.05). The growth curves of the best fit for the plot of each morphometric parameter against gestational age were generated. The lengths ranged from 14.82 +/- 2.22 to 42.84 +/- 4.32 mm, according to the linear model y = -9.6918 + 1.5963 x +/- 3.1706 (r = 0.95; p < 0.001). The original external diameter increased from 0.72 +/- 0.18 to 3.28 +/- 0.40 mm, according to the linear function y = -1.5228 + 0.1428 x +/- 0.2749 (r = 0.95; p < 0.001). The left common carotid artery-to-aortic root diameter ratio increased from 0.356 +/- 0.062 to 0.480 +/- 0.101. The left common carotid artery-to-aortic arch diameter ratio increased from 0.447 +/- 0.079 to 0.535 +/- +/- 0.113. The volume ranged from 6.73 +/- 4.06 to 369.30 +/- 107.42 mm3 in accordance with the quadratic function y = 344.8 - 41.001 x + 1.254 x2 +/- +/- 46.955 (R2 = 0.87). The parameters examined have clinical application in the early recognition of arterial abnormalities, especially aortic coarctation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Normal Anatomy, the Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, the Nicolaus Copernicus University, Toruń, Poland. kizanat@cm.umk.pl
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Szpinda
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Flisiński
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wiśniewski
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dombek
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krakowiak-Sarnowska
mesh_terms: D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000196:embryology*; D003201:Computers; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics