Absent right common carotid artery associated with left accessory middle cerebral artery diagnosed by computed tomography angiography.

PURPOSE: To describe a case involving congenital absence of the right common carotid artery (CCA) associated with a left accessory middle cerebral artery (MCA) that was diagnosed by computed tomography angiography (CTA).

METHODS

A 63-year-old woman with a narrow right internal carotid artery (ICA) incidentally detected on magnetic resonance imaging underwent CTA for further vascular evaluation.

RESULTS

CTA revealed absence of the right CCA, with the right external carotid artery (ECA) branching from the brachiocephalic trunk and the right ICA branching from the right subclavian artery. The ICA was hypoplastic. A left accessory MCA was also observed. Although blood flow in the right ICA was decreased, the patient was asymptomatic; thus, conservative treatment was administered, and her clinical course remained uneventful.

CONCLUSION

Absence of the CCA is associated with the development of the aorta and various vascular variations; however, to our knowledge, this is the first report of an association with a contralateral accessory MCA, the existence of which may be considered incidental. Preoperative knowledge of this rare variation is important when considering endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms and other arterial lesions.