Imaging of traumatic arterial injuries in the neck with an emphasis on CTA.

Arterial injuries in the neck may be secondary to blunt or penetrating trauma. Because of clinical difficulties in early identification of these injuries as well as their potentially catastrophic consequences, imaging is indispensible in the diagnosis of arterial injuries in the neck. Computed tomography angiography (CTA) has become the initial study of choice in management of these patients. We review the clinical and imaging features of vascular injuries of the neck with special emphasis on CTA.