title: Thyrolinguofacial trunk arising from the carotid bifurcation determined by three-dimensional computed tomography angiography.
abstract: It is recognized that the branches of the external carotid artery (ECA) can show variation, but the presence of a thyrolinguofacial trunk is extremely rare and always originates from the ECA. We report a case of the thyrolinguofacial trunk arising from the carotid bifurcation (CB) on the left side in a 76-year-old man with advanced tongue cancer, as revealed by three-dimensional computed tomography angiography for vascular mapping of the carotid vessels prior to superselective intra-arterial catheterization. The thyrolinguofacial trunk arose 1.6 mm below the CB from the anterior surface of the left CB. The inner diameter of the thyrolinguofacial trunk at origin was 4.4 mm and the angle between the thyrolinguofacial trunk and CB was 128°. After a 1.7-mm course, the trunk divided into the superior thyroid artery and a linguofacial trunk, the inner diameters of which were 1.5 and 3.4 mm, respectively, at origin. The angle between the two arteries was 88°. After a 9.8-mm course from the bifurcation, the linguofacial trunk divided into the lingual artery and facial artery, the inner diameters of which were 1.8 and 1.9 mm, respectively, at origin. The angle between the two arteries was 61°. It is important to recognize such an anatomic variation of the branches of the ECA prior to superselective intra-arterial catheterization or microsurgical reconstruction for head and neck cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, 3-9 Fukuura, Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan. iwai104oams@yahoo.co.jp
authors.forename: Toshinori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwai
authors.forename: Toshiharu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Izumi
authors.forename: Tomio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Nobukazu
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fuwa
authors.forename: Maiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shibasaki
authors.forename: Senri
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Oguri
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mitsudo
authors.forename: Iwai
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tohnai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002346:Carotid Sinus / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007261:Infusions, Intra-Arterial; D008297:Male; D035583:Rare Diseases; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014059:Tongue / Q000098:blood supply; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*