Carotid Anomalies and the Current Reporting Standards

Introduction: In the preoperative assessment for carotid stent or endarterectomy there are key anatomical features that need to be considered. These include the configuration of the arch and its variants, the level the bifurcation, the depth of the carotid and the size. To that effect we audit these parameters.

Method(s): Between 2017 and 2021, 32 patients with accessible CT images and reports were flagged for carotid interventions. The scans and reports were examined. The arch configuration, CCA and ICA diameter, the level of the bifurcation, and the depth of the carotid from the skin were analyzed.

Result(s): Arch configuration was reported in 21 patients (66%). The CCA and ICA diameters and the level of the bifurcation were not reported at all. The depth of the carotid was only reported for one patient that had kissing carotids (3%).

Conclusion(s): Our study illustrates that Ct reporting for carotids were poor at reporting anatomical factors. Larger cohorts are needed to analyze which anatomical factor resulted in increased morbidity.

Publication History

Article published online:
09 February 2023