Unusual looping of the internal carotid artery in relation to an enlarged lymph node

Knowledge of variations of internal carotid artery is important to surgeons doing head and neck surgery as well as to radiologists doing imaging and invasive techniques. In the current case, the right internal carotid artery showed a characteristic loop at its beginning. An abnormal, enlarged lymph node was found at the carotid bifurcation, which was projecting into the loop. The left internal carotid artery was normal. The unusual looping of internal carotid artery at its beginning might result in altered blood flow to the brain and may lead to confusions in surgical, imaging and invasive techniques.