Located or occurring outside the skull or cranium.
From Latin 'extra' (outside) + 'cranial' (relating to the skull), from Greek 'kranion' (skull). This anatomical term became common in medical literature during the 20th century as neuroimaging technology developed.
When a doctor talks about 'extracranial carotid disease,' they're describing blood vessel problems in your neck rather than inside your skull—it's a crucial distinction because the treatment is completely different!
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