No abstract

No abstract

Background: Tortuous 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.Methods: A 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.