Prevalence and morphological changes of carotid kinking and coiling in growth: an echo-color Doppler study of 2856 subjects between aged 0 to 96 years

• Published in: The International Journal of Cardiovascular Imaging 2021-02, Vol.37 (2), p.479-484
• Main Authors: Di Pino, Luigi, Franchina, Antonio G., Costa, Serena, Gangi, Stella, Strano, Francesco, Ragusa, Mario, Costanzo, Luca, Tamburino, Corrado, Capodanno, Davide
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abnormalities; Age; Cardiac Imaging; Cardiology; Carotid arteries; Carotid artery; Coiling; Color; Congenital anomalies; Hypotheses; Imaging; Kinking; Mathematical analysis; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Morphology; Older people; Original Paper; Radiology; Velocity
• ISSN: 1569-5794; 1573-0743; 1875-8312
• DOI: 10.1007/s10554-020-02014-0

Extracranial internal carotid artery (EICA) kinking and coiling are the most frequently reported carotid anomalies in the literature. Embryogenic and acquired causes for such anomalies have been postulated but the prevalence of kinking and coiling has not been well characterized across age categories. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of EICA coiling and kinking among different age groups to better understand its potential causes and changes during the course of life. A total of 2856 subjects aged 0 to 96 years were studied by echo-color Doppler (ECD). Morphology and anatomical anomalies of the EICA were assessed. Patients with anatomical anomalies were stratified by age groups and the prevalence of EICA abnormalities was calculated. The maximal velocity recorded at the level of the kinking was compared with that measured in the common carotid artery and the peak systolic velocity kinking ratio (PSVKR) was calculated. A total of 284 subjects (9.94% of the sample) were found to have kinking or coiling of the EICA. The prevalence was significantly higher at the extremes of age (≤ 20 and > 60 years old, p