title: Infraoptic anterior cerebral artery: case series report and literature review.
abstract: An infraoptic course of the precommunicating anterior cerebral artery (A1 segment) is a rare anomaly. We report three patients with an infraoptic A1 diagnosed by computed tomography angiography and we review the literature focusing on embryological development. In all three patients, a left infraoptic A1 that originated from the ophthalmic level of the internal carotid artery was diagnosed incidentally. Only one patient had a normal supraoptic A1. The embryogenesis of this anomaly is unclear. We propose that an error in the development of the definitive ophthalmic artery is possible mechanisms giving rise to this anomaly.
authors.affiliation: Chief of Brain Center, Pohang SM Christianity Hospital, 351 Poscodaero, Namku, Pohang, 790-822, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea. hanibalkms@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Myoung Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sook Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Sim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D020771:Anterior Cerebral Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000072226:Computed Tomography Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: Anomaly; Anterior cerebral artery; Computed tomography angiography; Internal carotid artery