The role of extracranial carotid abnormalities in the genesis of cerebral aneurysms

The incidence of extracranial internal carotid artery (ICA) abnormalities, namely kinks, coils, and stenoses, was evaluated in a consecutive unselected series of 76 cases of sinlge supratentorial saccular aneurysms submitted to bilateral carotid angiography. These patients were compared with a control group of 120 patients who had undergone either uni- or bilateral carotid angiography for causes other than cerebrovascular occlusive diseases or intracranial arterial aneurysms. Both groups had a total of 152 angiograms. Extracranial carotid abnormalities were significantly higher in aneurysm patients (pp>0.15). In the 76 aneurysm patients, abnormalities were mostly either located or more pronounced on the side opposite the aneurysm (in 22 as opposed to 11 on the same side, p