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Internal carotid artery aplasia/hypoplasia

Case contributed by Dr Nikola Todorovic
Diagnosis probable

Presentation

Occasional headaches. Her neurologist requested MRI brain to exclude morphological etiology for the patient's problem.

Patient Data

Age: 70
Gender: Female

There is a complete absence of the left internal carotid artery. There are no significant cerebrovascular sequelae in the brain parenchyma, with only a few punctiform hyperintensities on T2W/FLAIR which are consistent with previous minor ischemic lesions.

Collateral circulation is provided via the anterior and posterior comunnicating arteries.

Otherwise, the MRI brain is unremarkable.

Case Discussion

Taking into consideration the patient's age and lack of major ischemic change, the most probable diagnosis in the case is congenital aplasia/hypoplasia of the left internal carotid artery.

This patients risk for a cerebral aneurysm is increased, but no aneurysm has been found in this examination.

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