Mapping the publications on the thyroidea ima artery with Vosviewer

Background and aim: The thyroidea ima artery, though clinically significant, remains underrepresented in the scientific literature. Our objective was to conduct a bibliometric analysis of all documents related to the artery indexed in Web of Science (WoS) from 1980 to 2025 and assess its position within the existing literature and to offer insights into the topic's popularity and future status. Materials and Methods: Relevant publications were identified using the WoS database. A total of 26 publications were discovered. Bibliometric techniques were employed to analyze the identified publications (VOSviewer Version 1.6.20). Results: The search yielded 18 articles, 4 reviews, and 4 case reports across 19 journals, collectively receiving 480 citations. The most productive countries were Greece (n=6), India (n=4), and Türkiye (n=4). The most cited articles focused on vascular anomalies and radiological assessments. Keyword analysis revealed close associations with vascular variations, thyroid surgery, and aortic arch anomalies. Conclusions: To the best of your knowledge, this study represents the first bibliometric analysis of the thyroidea ima artery. Despite its clinical relevance, especially in surgical and radiological contexts, the artery remains a rare subject of study. Our findings may guide future anatomical and clinical research by highlighting topics such as regional prevalence, variations in branching patterns, surgical implications, and the application of radiological evaluation methods.Keywords: Thyroidea ima, accessory thyroid artery, artery of Neubauer, the lowest thyroid artery, bibliometric analysis