Abstract
Uncommon diseases of the popliteal artery include cystic adventitial disease, popliteal artery entrapment syndrome (PAES) and popliteal artery aneurysm (PAA). Because all of these conditions may present with pain or intermittent claudication, imaging is crucial for differentiating them and directing management. Delayed diagnosis can lead to major complications, including acute limb ischemia. Our aim is to provide an illustrative overview of these conditions in order to make radiologists aware of them and avoid misdiagnosis for timely appropriate management.Teaching Points• Cystic adventitial disease diagnosis is based on evidence of cysts within artery walls.• A variety of anatomic variations may result in PAES.• PAES may be bilateral.• PAA is most commonly encountered in men.• Acute complications of PAA include acute thrombosis and distal embolization.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13244-016-0513-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
The popliteal artery is a direct continuation of the superficial femoral artery after it passes through the adductor hiatus
While atherosclerotic disease involves the innermost layers of the artery [1], adventitia of the popliteal artery has a particular proclivity for an uncommon condition: cystic adventitial disease [2, 3]
In the case of aneurysm thrombosis, thrombolytic therapy may be effective for achieving recanalization of the distal popliteal artery, especially in patients who can withstand an additional period of ischemia (Fig. 9) [36]
Summary
Mohamed Jarraya1 & Salmi Simmons1 & Alik Farber2 & Oleg Teytelboym1 & Nicolas Naggara4 & Ali Guermazi. This article is published with open access at Springerlink.com
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
