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Cervical Carotid Arteries

Main Text

TERMINOLOGY

Abbreviations

• Aortic arch (AA); brachiocephalic trunk (BCT)
• Common (CCA), internal (ICA), external (ECA) carotid arteries
• Vertebral artery (VA), basilar artery (BA)

GROSS ANATOMY

Overview

• CCAs terminate by dividing into ECA, ICA
• ECA is smaller of 2 terminal branches

Supplies most of head, neck (except eye, brain)

Has numerous anastomoses with ICA, VA (may become important source of collateral blood flow)
• ICA has no normal extracranial branches

IMAGING ANATOMY

Overview

• CCAs

Right CCA originates from BCT; left CCA from AA

Course superiorly in carotid space, anteromedial to internal jugular vein

Divide into ECA, ICA at approximately C3-4 level
• Cervical ICAs

90% arise posterolateral to ECA

Carotid “bulb”

– Focal dilatation of ICA at its origin from CCA

– Flow reversal occurs in carotid bulb

Ascending cervical segment

– Courses superiorly within carotid space

– Enters carotid canal of skull base (petrous temporal bone)

– No named branches in neck
• ECAs have 8 major branches

Superior thyroid artery

– 1st ECA branch (may arise from CCA bifurcation)

– Arises anteriorly, courses inferiorly to apex of thyroid

– Supplies superior thyroid, larynx

– Anastomoses with inferior thyroid artery (branch of thyrocervical trunk)

Ascending pharyngeal artery

– Arises from posterior ECA (or CCA bifurcation)

– Courses superiorly between ECA, ICA

– Visceral branches supply nasopharynx, oropharynx, eustachian tube

– Muscular, tympanic branches supply middle ear, prevertebral muscles

– Neuromeningeal branches supply dura, CNIX-CNXI

– Numerous important (potentially dangerous) anastomoses with middle/accessory meningeal, caroticotympanic, and vidian arteries!

Lingual artery

– 2nd anterior ECA branch

– Loops anteroinferiorly, then superiorly to tongue

– Major vascular supply to tongue, oral cavity, submandibular gland

– Common origin with facial artery in 10-20% of cases

Facial artery

– Originates just above lingual artery

– Curves around mandible, then passes anterosuperiorly across cheek

– Supplies face, palate, lip, cheek

– Anastomoses with ophthalmic artery (ICA branch), other ECA branches

Occipital artery

– Originates from posterior aspect of ECA

– Courses posterosuperiorly between occiput and C1

– Supplies scalp, upper cervical musculature, posterior fossa meninges

– Extensive anastomoses with muscular VA branches

Posterior auricular artery

– Arises from posterior ECA above occipital artery

– Courses superiorly to supply pinna, scalp, external auditory canal, chorda tympani

Superficial temporal artery

– Smaller of 2 terminal ECA branches

– Runs superiorly behind mandibular condyle, across zygoma

– Supplies scalp, gives off transverse facial artery

Maxillary artery

– Larger of 2 terminal ECA branches

– Arises within parotid gland, behind mandibular neck

– Gives off middle meningeal artery (supplies cranial meninges)

– Runs anteromedially in masticator space

– Within pterygopalatine fossa sends off terminal branches to deep face, nose

– Potential major source of collateral flow via inferolateral trunk of cavernous ICA, ophthalmic and recurrent meningeal arteries

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Mar 13, 2021 | Posted by admin in NUCLEAR MEDICINE | Comments Off

Main Text

TERMINOLOGY

Abbreviations

GROSS ANATOMY

Overview

IMAGING ANATOMY

Overview

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