Carotid tortuosity is associated with extracranial carotid artery aneurysms

BackgroundTortuous arteries may be associated with carotid dissection. The intima disruption caused by a carotid dissection is a possible cause of extracranial carotid artery aneurysms (ECAAs). The aim was to investigate if carotid tortuosity is also associated with ECAA in patients without presence or history of a carotid artery dissection. MethodsA retrospective case-control study was performed including 35 unilateral ECAA patients (cases) and 105 age- and sex-matched controls. Tortuosity was expressed as tortuosity-index (TI), curvature, and torsion measured on computed tomography angiography (CTA) data in 3Mensio Vascular and MATLAB by two independent investigators. Primary comparison was tortuosity in ipsi- versus contralateral carotid artery within the cohort of ECAA patients. Secondary comparison was tortuosity with ipsilateral carotid arteries in control patients. All observations were assessed on inter- and intra-operator reproducibility. ResultsCarotid tortuosity was comparable within the cohort of ECAA patients (Spearman correlation 0.76, P