Beyond plaque: A pictorial review of non-atherosclerotic abnormalities of extracranial carotid arteries.

ABSTRACT

The common carotid artery (CCA) and extracranial internal carotid artery are subject to a wide variety of non-atheromatous pathologies. These entities are often overshadowed in both research and clinical realms by atherosclerotic disease. Nevertheless, non-atherosclerotic disease of the carotid arteries may have profound, even devastating, neurologic consequences. Hence, this review will cover both common and uncommon forms of extracranial carotid artery pathologies in a pictorial format, in order to aid the diagnostician in identifying and differentiating such pathologies.