Imaging diagnosis of congenital absence of the internal carotid artery / 中华神经科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To discuss the clinical and radiological features of congenital absence of the internal carotid artery.Methods Four patients of the congenital absence of the internal carotid artery were reported and the clinical and radiological features were summarized by a review of the literature.Results Four patients were shown subarachnoid hemorrhage ( SAH) , transient ischemic attack ( TIA) , epilepsy and headache, respectively.All of the four patients presented the absence of unilateral or bilateral carotid arteries in cervical computed tomography angiography ( CTA) or magnetic resonance angiography ( MRA).Carotid canal was absent in all the patients in CT base of skull and multiple intracranial vascular dysplasia was shown in all the patients.Basilar or posterior communicating artery was presented as dolichoectasia in 3 patients.There were 2 patients who suffered aneurysm.Conclusions The onset of the congenital absence of the internal carotid artery can be presented in any age.Sudden severe headache as initial symptom caused by SAH is showed more common in children and adolescents.TIA is commonly seen in the elderly.CT shows carotid canals are absent in the base of skull.Unilateral or bilateral carotid arteries are shown absent in CTA or MRA.Multiple intracranial vascular dysplasia is shown in CTA or MRA.Carotid artery CTA has been considered as the optimal imaging method of showing the congenital absence of the internal carotid artery.