Modified Multi-slice Spiral CT Angiography of Extracranial Carotid Artery:The Technique and Its Clinical Application

Objective To study the technique of modified multi-slice spiral CT aniography(MSCTA) for displaying the whole length of the carotid arteries and the origin of the vertebral arteries,and to evaluate its clinical value.Methods A total of 152 patients underwent modified MSCTA of extracranial carotid artery which scanned from skull base to aortic arch with contrast medium injected from the femoral vein, the image quality and the detection of lesions were assessed in comparison with that of DSA in a few of cases. Results (1) The jugular vein was displayed in 4 cases, only accounting for 2.63%. (2) The carotid segments including the proximal common carotid artery(CCA), the middle CCA, the carotid bifurcation, the internal carotid artery(ICA) bulb and the distal ICA could be visualized adequately by MSCTA,the showing rates were 97.69%,97.69%,97.69%,95.62% and 97.64%,respectively. Furthermore, moderate or severe stenosis detected by MSCTA in 17 cases was closely corresponding with the results of DSA. Conclusion Modified MSCTA of extracranial carotid artery can display the whole length of extracranial carotid artery and the origin of the vertebral arteries satisfactorily without the interference of the jugular, subclavian and innominate veins, and can improve its clinical application.