Segmental Classification of the Internal Carotid Artery: An Overview

arteries in humans, as it interests a diverse group of physicians: ear, nose, and throat specialists; neuroradiologists; neurologists; anatomists; and neurosurgeons. During the past century, many classifications of the ICA segmental division have been proposed, with the purpose to be helpful during clinical practice. Because each specialist who treats pathologies of or around the ICA needs different details, a universally shared classification is difficult to propose. Historically, the classifications that spread the most had some important characteristics: simplicity, easy to use, easy to remember, and reproducibility. In this overview, we present the most used classifications of the ICA with their respective clinical implications, pros and cons, to help the reader to orientate and to choose the most helpful classification in his clinical practice.