Early Diagnosis of Vertebral Dissecting Aneurysm: A Magnetic Resonance Angiography Study

Tetsuya ISHIHARA; Naoki IZAWA; Toshiyuki KAWAKAMI; Norito KOKUBUN; Koichi HIRATA; Toshihiko SATO

doi:10.2169/internalmedicine.41.1193

Tetsuya ISHIHARA, Naoki IZAWA, Toshiyuki KAWAKAMI, Norito KOKUBUN, Koichi HIRATA, Toshihiko SATO

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Keywords: dissection, aneurysm, vertebral artery, headache, magnetic resonance imaging, original image

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

2002 Volume 41 Issue 12 Pages 1193-1195

DOI https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.41.1193

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Abstract

We report a patient with dissecting aneurysm who presented with a sudden severe headache without any neurological symptoms. Although brain computed tomography (CT) scan and MRI were negative, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) showed a pseudocavity in a segment of the left vertebral artery. In addition, the dissecting wall of the left vertebral artery was clearly visualized in the original images of MRA. Our findings indicate that brain CT, MRI or cerebral angiography alone are sometimes inadequate for the diagnosis of vertebral dissecting aneurysm, and that MRA and its original images are necessary to establish the correct diagnosis.
(Internal Medicine 41: 1193-1195, 2002)

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