Abstract
Introduction
It is well known that the occipital artery (OA) can arise from the internal carotid artery (ICA) or vertebral artery (VA). However, the incidence of an anomalously originating OA has not been reported. We investigate its incidence and characteristic features on magnetic resonance angiography (MRA).
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed MRA images of 2,866 patients that included the carotid bifurcation; images were obtained using a standard noncontrast MRA protocol and two 1.5-T MR units.
Results
We diagnosed six cases (seven arteries) of anomalously originating OA, which represented an incidence of 0.21%. The OA arose from the ICA in four patients (five arteries), from the carotid bifurcation in one, and from the VA in one. Five of the seven arteries occurred on the right.
Conclusion
Anomalously originating OA is rare and occurs with right-side predominance. Correct diagnosis is necessary before or during cerebral angiography, especially when selective catheterization to the OA is required.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Lasjaunias P, Théron J, Moret J (1978) The occipital artery. Anatomy–normal arteriographic aspects–embryological significance. Neuroradiology 15:31–37
Kiyosue H, Mori H, Tanoue S, Sagara Y, Hori Y, Miyamoto S, Abe T, Komiyama M (2009) Non-bifurcating carotid artery coexisting with transverse sinus dural arteriovenous fistula. Neuroradiology 51:697–698
Uchino A, Saito N, Watadani T, Mizukoshi W, Nakajima R. Non-bifurcating cervical carotid artery diagnosed by MR angiography. Am J Neuroradiol (in press)
Luh GY, Dean BL, Tomsick TA, Wallace RC (1999) The persistent fetal carotid-vertebrobasilar anastomoses. AJR Am J Roentgenol 172:1427–1432
Newton TH, Young DA (1968) Anomalous origin of the occipital artery from the internal carotid artery. Radiology 90:550–552
Teal JS, Rumbaugh CL, Segall HD, Bergeron RT (1973) Anomalous branches of the internal carotid artery. Radiology 106:567–573
Benson MT, Hamer JD (1988) Anomalous origin of the occipital artery from the cervical internal carotid artery. J Vasc Surg 8:643–645
Uchino A, Sawada A, Takase Y, Imaizumi T, Egashira R, Matsuo M, Kudo S (2004) Carotid-anterior cerebral artery anastomosis: MR angiographic features and literature review. Clin Imaging 28:377–380
Suzuki S, Nobechi T, Itoh I, Yakura M, Iwashita K (1979) Persistent proatlantal intersegmental artery and occipital artery originating from internal carotid artery. Neuroradiology 17:105–109
Akay H, Ozturk A, Oguz KK, Cekirge S (2005) Type 2 persistent proatlantal intersegmental artery: demonstration by multislice computed tomography angiography. Eur J Radiol Extra 56:65–67
Palmer FJ, Philips RL (1978) Persistent proatlantal artery arising from the common carotid bifurcation. Australas Radiol 22:226–228
Acknowledgments
We thank Rosalyn Uhrig, M.A., for editorial assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.
Conflict of interest
We declare that we have no conflict of interest.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Uchino, A., Saito, N., Mizukoshi, W. et al. Anomalous origin of the occipital artery diagnosed by magnetic resonance angiography. Neuroradiology 53, 853–857 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-010-0825-z
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00234-010-0825-z