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Bovine arch

Case contributed by Varun Babu
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Recurrent chest infection - came to rule out underlying malignant or parenchymal lung disease.

Patient Data

Age: 60 years
Gender: Male

CT chest contrast

ct

Common origin of brachiocephalic trunk and left common carotid artery. 

Other findings in this case

  • deformed chest with increased AP diameter and associated scoliosis
  • right sided cardiomegaly with straightened interventricular septum.
  • main pulmonary trunk is larger than the ascending aorta suggestive of a pulmonary arterial hypertension component. 
  • parenchymal change of UIP pattern were seen (lung windows not depicted here). 

Case Discussion

Bovine arch is one of the more common forms of aortic arch variations we encounter in our daily practice. They are rarely symptomatic. Detection of one vascular variant should prompt detailed evaluation of others in the examined study. 

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