<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Anatomical terminology (edit on Wikidata) </Td> </Tr> <P> In anatomy, the left and right common carotid arteries (English: / kəˈrɒtɪd /) are arteries that supply the head and neck with oxygenated blood; they divide in the neck to form the external and internal carotid arteries . </P> <P> The common carotid arteries are present on the left and right sides of the body . These arteries originate from different arteries, but follow symmetrical courses . The right common carotid originates in the neck from the brachiocephalic trunk; the left from the aortic arch in the thorax . These split into the external and internal carotid arteries at the upper border of the thyroid cartilage, at around the level of the fourth cervical vertebra . </P> <P> The left common carotid artery can be thought of as having two parts: a thoracic (chest) part and a cervical (neck) part . The right common carotid originates in or close to the neck, so contains only a small thoracic portion . There are studies in the bioengineering literature that have looked into characterizing the geometric structure of the common carotid artery from both qualitative and mathematical (quantitative) standpoints . </P>

Is the carotid artery on both sides of the neck