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Aberrant right common carotid artery: a diagnostic challenge on transesophageal echocardiography

Y S Prakash1, Joseph F Malouf

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.

The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging
|May 14, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Aberrant right common carotid artery is a rare aortic arch anomaly. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) can suggest this condition, with magnetic resonance angiography confirming the diagnosis.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular imaging
  • Vascular anomalies
  • Medical diagnostics

Background:

  • Aortic arch anomalies are uncommon congenital conditions.
  • Aberrant vessels can mimic serious vascular pathologies on imaging.
  • Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a key diagnostic tool for aortic abnormalities.

Observation:

  • This case highlights an aberrant right common carotid artery.
  • Initial suspicion arose during TEE utilizing multiplane and off-axis views.
  • The anomaly presented as a potential significant vascular abnormality.

Findings:

  • TEE effectively identified the suspected aberrant vessel.
  • Multiplane and off-axis imaging were crucial for initial detection.
  • Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) provided definitive confirmation of the aberrant right common carotid artery.

Implications:

  • Accurate diagnosis of rare aortic arch anomalies is essential.
  • TEE is valuable for suspecting such conditions.
  • MRA serves as a confirmatory imaging modality for vascular anomalies.

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