©Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026. No commercial re-use. See Permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Radiol. Feb 28, 2026; 18(2): 116873
Published online Feb 28, 2026. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v18.i2.116873
Published online Feb 28, 2026. doi: 10.4329/wjr.v18.i2.116873
When anatomy becomes pathology: Rethinking carotid-hyoid contact in cerebrovascular events
Si-Yu Jiang, Rui Li, Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College and Sichuan Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Nanchong 637000, Sichuan Province, China
Author contributions: Jiang SY conducted literature analysis and drafted the manuscript; Li R conceptualized the study, and reviewed and finalized the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Rui Li, MD, PhD, Professor, Department of Radiology, Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College and Sichuan Key Laboratory of Medical Imaging, Maoyuan South Road, Shunqing District, Nanchong 637000, Sichuan Province, China.
Received: November 24, 2025
Revised: December 9, 2025
Accepted: January 16, 2026
Published online: February 28, 2026
Processing time: 94 Days and 15.2 Hours
Revised: December 9, 2025
Accepted: January 16, 2026
Published online: February 28, 2026
Processing time: 94 Days and 15.2 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: This letter highlights the clinical importance of recognizing carotid–hyoid spatial variants identified by Karangeli et al. Their computed tomography angiography-based mapping demonstrates that non-null configurations - especially types VIII and XI - are more common than previously reported and may predispose patients to dynamic carotid compression, unexplained cerebrovascular symptoms, or intraoperative vascular injury. Incorporating carotid-hyoid assessment into routine imaging can improve diagnostic accuracy and enhance surgical safety.