Digital-image analysis of the left common carotid artery in human foetuses.

The rate of growth of the left common carotid artery during gestation has not been sufficiently evaluated. The present study was performed on 128 spontaneously aborted human foetuses aged 15-34 weeks to compile normative data for the dimensions of the left common carotid artery at varying gestational ages. Using anatomical dissection, digital image analysis (system of Leica Q Win Pro 16) and statistical analysis (ANOVA, regression analysis), a range of measurements (length, original external diameter and volume) for the left common carotid artery during gestation was examined. No significant gender differences were found (p > 0.05). The growth curves of the best fit for the plot of each morphometric parameter against gestational age were generated. The lengths ranged from 14.82 +/- 2.22 to 42.84 +/- 4.32 mm, according to the linear model y = -9.6918 + 1.5963 x +/- 3.1706 (r = 0.95; p < 0.001). The original external diameter increased from 0.72 +/- 0.18 to 3.28 +/- 0.40 mm, according to the linear function y = -1.5228 + 0.1428 x +/- 0.2749 (r = 0.95; p < 0.001). The left common carotid artery-to-aortic root diameter ratio increased from 0.356 +/- 0.062 to 0.480 +/- 0.101. The left common carotid artery-to-aortic arch diameter ratio increased from 0.447 +/- 0.079 to 0.535 +/- +/- 0.113. The volume ranged from 6.73 +/- 4.06 to 369.30 +/- 107.42 mm3 in accordance with the quadratic function y = 344.8 - 41.001 x + 1.254 x2 +/- +/- 46.955 (R2 = 0.87). The parameters examined have clinical application in the early recognition of arterial abnormalities, especially aortic coarctation.