CAROTID STRING SIGN RESULTING FROM AN ABERRANT BRANCH OF THE INTERNALCAROTID-ARTERY

Branches of the extracranial internal carotid artery are very rare. A case is reported wherein an aberrant artery originated from the bulb o f the internal carotid artery (ICA) approximately 2 cm from the bifurc ation. The ICA was occluded distal to the branch's origin. Arteriograp hy in this case gave the appearance of a carotid ''string sign''. Vasc ular surgeons and radiologists should be aware of this anomaly when in terpreting carotid arteriograms.