Work

Incidental Right Aortic Arch in a 55-Year-Old Male With Cerebral Palsy: A Radiologic Pitfall Mimicking Pulmonary Pathology

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: We present the case of a 55-year-old male with a past medical history of cerebral palsy, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), seizures, and generalized anxiety disorder who presented with recurrent episodes of respiratory distress and was incidentally found to have a right aortic arch (RAA) on radiologic imaging. Although this anatomical variation is rare, this case serves as a teaching point to raise awareness of the existence of a RAA and how it can be mistaken for a lung lesion, mass, or malignancy. Studies have shown that this anatomical abnormality can also give rise to subtle esophageal and respiratory symptoms. In addition, some patients diagnosed with RAA, especially older adults, have been found to have concurrent vascular anomalies, such as right coronary artery stenosis, left and/or right subclavian artery stenosis, and aortic dissection.

Source: Cureus

DOI: 10.7759/cureus.115153

Authors: Mercedes Malone, Carolina C Ferraz, Tarek Zaho

Institutions: Universidade de Santo Amaro, Wake Forest University

Language: English

Topic: Vascular anomalies and interventions

Subfield: Surgery

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: diamond

Funder: HCA Healthcare