[Spiral computed tomography imaging of internal carotid artery diameter: a report of 260 cases]

To explore the diameter of internal carotid artery by arterial phase imaging of multi-slice spiral computed tomography (CT).

A total of 260 routine brain CT scans of the examiner were performed. And the arterial phase images of carotid artery were acquired, observed and measured through a three-dimensional reconstruction workstation. On the diameters of target sections were measured on the multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) images of carotid artery. Two groups were categorized according to gender and 3 groups by age (25 - 40 yr, 41 - 60 yr and 61 - 85 yr) for statistical analysis.

The diameter data of internal carotid artery had statistical significances among genders and 3 age groups (P < 0.05).

The diameter of internal carotid artery may be evaluated by the arterial phase imaging of multi-slice spiral CT so that the reference data can be provided for clinical diagnosis.