Vascular Anatomy on Head and Neck Imaging.
1Division of Oral Diagnosis, Oral Medicine, and Oral Radiology, University of Kentucky College of Dentistry, 770 Rose Street, MN320, Lexington, KY 40536, USA.
Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Clinics of North America
|October 17, 2025
Summary
Vascular anatomy in head and neck imaging is variable. Understanding normal and variant vascular anatomy is crucial for accurate interpretation on CT and MR imaging.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Vascular Anatomy
- Head and Neck Imaging
Background:
- Head and neck vascular anatomy exhibits significant variability.
- Accurate interpretation of imaging studies necessitates a thorough understanding of these variations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the anatomy of extracranial head and neck vascular structures.
- To describe how these vascular structures appear on computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging.
Main Methods:
- Review of anatomical and radiological literature.
- Correlation of anatomical knowledge with CT and MR imaging findings.
Main Results:
- Detailed description of common and variant vascular anatomy in the head and neck.
- Illustrative examples of vascular structures as depicted on CT and MR imaging.
Conclusions:
- Knowledge of normal and variant vascular anatomy is essential for interpreting head and neck imaging.
- CT and MR imaging are key modalities for visualizing these vascular structures.
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