title: Carotid ultrasound features of anomalous left vertebral artery originating from the aortic arch proximal to the left subclavian artery.
abstract: We present three cases of anomalous origin of the left vertebral artery (LVA) detected during the evaluation of stroke. The VA usually enters the transverse foramen of the sixth cervical vertebra (C6), but an anomalous LVA originating from the aorta frequently enters at a higher level. In our series, ultrasound of the LVA showed entry at C4 in two patients and at C5 in one patient. These findings suggested anomalous LVA origin, and three-dimensional computed tomography demonstrated the LVA arising from the aorta proximal to the left subclavian arteries. Carotid duplex ultrasound is useful for the diagnosis of this anomaly.
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, Stroke Center, National Hospital Organization Kagoshima Medical Center, Japan.
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wakita
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, Stroke Center, National Hospital Organization Kagoshima Medical Center, Japan.
authors.forename: Ran
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Takei
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, Stroke Center, National Hospital Organization Kagoshima Medical Center, Japan.
authors.forename: Fumio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Miyashita
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, Stroke Center, National Hospital Organization Kagoshima Medical Center, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hamada
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, Stroke Center, National Hospital Organization Kagoshima Medical Center, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ohyama
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Cerebrovascular Medicine, Stroke Center, National Hospital Organization Kagoshima Medical Center, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Matsuoka
authors.affiliation: 2 Department of Neurology and Geriatrics, Kagoshima University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takashima
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013348:Subclavian Artery / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D054079:Vascular Malformations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: Aortic arch; Doppler ultrasonography; transverse foramen; variation; vertebral artery