Search

The vertebral artery's morphological characteristics are crucial in spontaneous vertebral artery dissection (sVAD). We aimed to investigate morphologic features related to ischemic stroke (IS) and develop a novel prediction model. Out of 126 patients, 93 were finally analyzed. We constructed 3D models and morphological analyses. Patients were randomly classified into training and validation cohorts (3:1 ratio). Variables selected by LASSO - including five morphological features and five clinical characteristics - were used to develop prediction model in the training cohort. The model exhibited a high area under the curve (AUC) of 0.944 (95%CI, 0.862-0.984), with internal validation confirming its consistency (AUC = 0.818, 95%CI, 0.597-0.948). Decision curve analysis (DCA) indicated clinical usefulness. Morphological features significantly contribute to risk stratification in sVAD patients. Our novel developed model, combining interdisciplinary parameters, is clinically useful for predicting IS risk. Further validation and in-depth research into the hemodynamics related to sVAD are necessary., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethical Approval: The Ethical Review Committee of West China Hospital of Sichuan University (Approval No. 2020(69)) and individual consent for this retrospective analysis was waived. Informed Consent: Individual consent for this retrospective analysis was waived. Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare that are relevant to the content of this article., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

A 55-year-old woman suffered from diplopia and occipital pain after shoveling snow. She was diagnosed with the right vertebral artery dissecting aneurysm at the level of the axial vertebra and repeatedly had cerebral infarctions in the posterior circulation. She had subluxation of the atlantoaxial vertebra as an underlying disease. Right vertebral angiogram with the head rotated to the left showed the right vertebral artery occlusion and left vertebral angiogram with the head rotated to the right showed stenosis at the C1-C2 level, leading to the diagnosis of Bow hunter's stroke. After wearing a cervical collar and taking 100 ‍mg of aspirin, she had no recurrence of cerebral infarction and later underwent C1-C2 posterior fusion to prevent the recurrence of cerebral infarction. She finished taking aspirin 6 months after the surgery, and there has been no recurrence of cerebral infarction. We report here a case of Bow hunter's stroke, a rare disease, with good clinical outcomes after C1-C2 posterior fusion.

The International Classification of Headache Disorder (ICHD) clearly guides the suspicion of intracranial vertebral artery dissection (ICVAD) in headache patients, but guidelines on how observational or imaging studies should be performed to detect dangerous progression early are unclear. Fifty-six cases with pearl and string type intracranial vertebral artery dissection were divided into 3 groups: 39 in the headache group, 6 in the infarction group, and 11 in the hemorrhagic group. Clinical and angiographic data were analyzed and compared. Most headaches resolved within 2 weeks and did not exceed 8 weeks. Of the 33 patients (84.6%) who underwent continuous follow-up imaging, 18 (54.5%) returned to normal, but 3 (9%) had deteriorated. All the patients survived without subsequent bleeding or infarction. Image changes started before 3rd month and ended after 6 to 7 months. In acute ICVADs, image changes occur at the same time as the headache resolves and continue for several months after the headache has subsided. Since the dissection is likely to worsen even after the headache disappears, the image changes continue over several months, and prediction of rupture of unruptured ICVAD is unpredictable, it is desirable to conduct continuous imaging studies regularly after the initiation of dissection until stabilization is confirmed., Competing Interests: The authors have no funding and conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: Traumatic vertebral artery dissection (tVAD) is frequently accompanied by cerebellar infarction, but subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is rare., Case Description: We report a unique case of tVAD precipitating SAH, from which the patient fully recovered, most likely because of the protective effects of an anomalously duplicated posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) origin. A 17-year-old Sumo wrestler experienced a brief loss of consciousness after an attack by an opponent to his neck. Head computed tomography imaging demonstrated diffuse posterior fossa SAH; cerebral angiography demonstrated left vertebral artery (VA) occlusion, which was thought to be most likely attributable to tVAD. Angiography revealed distal PICA reconstitution, supplied by collateral arterial flow from the meningeal branch of the proximal ipsilateral VA. An external ventricular drain was placed acutely for treatment of SAH-induced hydrocephalus; however, the patient had an otherwise uneventful course, and remained without clinical evidence of ischemic infarct. A repeat imaging confirming a probable duplicated PICA origin from the VA, distal to the tVAD-associated thrombosis., Conclusions: Of particular interest, the patient's abnormal anatomy may have been a mixed blessing, with a more fragile bifid PICA potentially underlying the unexpected development of SAH, whereas the sister branch simultaneously spared him a potentially catastrophic infarction via arterial collateralization., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Pseudoaneurysms (PAs) of the extracranial vertebral artery (VA) are rare lesions, representing less than 1% of all aneurysms. Although these lesions may resolve spontaneously, they present a high rupture rate, so early preventive treatment is advised., Case Description: Case 1: A 48-year-old woman presented with pain and cervical rigidity. An angiotomography showed a PA of the left VA at the level of the C2 transverse foramen, with mural thrombosis and bone remodeling of the left lateral mass. The PA was treated with the endovascular placement of a flow diverter stent. The patient was discharged 3 days after the procedure without complications. The last vascular imaging follow-up was performed 6 years after the procedure showing a patent left VA, with complete resolution of the aneurysm. Case 2: A 57-year-old woman was admitted referring cervicalgia after a polytraumatism. An angiotomography revealed a fracture of the C1 posterior arch, lateral mass, and left transverse foramen, on top of a left VA thrombosis due to a vascular dissection. Eleven months after the trauma, a left VA V3 segment arteriovenous fistula developed. It was treated with hydrocoils, with no complications. One month after the embolization, a left VA V3 segment PA was observed and treated with a flow diverter stent. An angiographic follow-up 2 years after the procedure showed a patent left VA, with complete resolution of the PA., Conclusion: The use of flow diverters seems to be a safe and effective therapeutic option for the treatment of PAs of the extracranial VAs., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Sudden supraclavicular pain is often associated with myocardial infarction but seldom due to a rupture of V1-segment vertebral artery aneurysm. A ruptured V1 segment of vertebral artery dissecting aneurysm making a fistula with the adjacent vein has rarely been described in literature. Here we present a case of a 29-year-old healthy woman with sudden supraclavicular pain and palpable mass that developed after pain. Initial ultrasound showed suspicion of large haematoma. CT angiogram showed a left-sided dissecting V1-segment vertebral artery ruptured aneurysm. Angiography showed an additional fistula between the aneurysm and the adjacent vein. The patient was treated successfully with coil embolisation. The vertebral artery occlusion was well tolerated without any complications. Endovascular coiling is a fast and effective treatment modality. However, a parent vessel occlusion can be sometimes dangerous if the contralateral vertebral artery supply is not sufficient. Surgical possibilities to reconstruct the parent vessel should also be considered in complex cases., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© BMJ Publishing Group Limited 2019. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: There are limited clinical studies of bilateral vertebral artery dissection (VAD)., Objective: To compare the characteristics, imaging findings, and treatments between patients with bilateral and unilateral VAD., Methods: Between February 2007 and May 2017, 31 (mean age: 53.0 years; 23 men, 8 women) out of 171 VAD patients were hospitalized because of bilateral VAD. Onset type, dissection site, dominant side of the VA, imaging features, treatments, and outcomes were investigated based on medical records. The dominant side of the VA was determined by basi-parallel anatomical scanning., Results: Twenty (64.5%) of 31 patients exhibited bilateral VAD on both sides of V4. The dominant side of the VA was right in 16 patients and left in 15 patients. The pearl and string sign (an angiographical finding with both dilatation and stenosis) was frequently observed on the dominant VAD side, while a tapered occlusion and string sign were most common on the nondominant side. For clinical subtype of VAD, 6 (19.4%) patients had subarachnoid hemorrhage, 10 (32.3%) ischemic stroke, 3 (9.7%) infarction plus subarachnoid hemorrhage, and 12 (38.7%) only headache. The frequency of infarction was increased in bilateral VAD compared with unilateral (P < .05). Surgical intervention was performed in 3 cases, while 14 patients received endovascular intervention., Conclusions: Infarction occurred frequently in bilateral VAD patients, and 17 patients required an intervention (mainly endovascular) for VA. The treatment strategy varied depending on the clinical subtype, imaging findings of VAD, and morphology of the dominant VAD side., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Ischemic symptoms caused by traumatic vertebral artery dissection after cervical maneuvers are treated medically and surgically. This is a report of the infrequently documented occipital to vertebral artery bypass to stop the transient ischemic attacks following traumatic vertebral artery dissection., Case Description: A 33-year-old man presented with a sudden right posterior neck pain following a sudden neck movement, accompanied by left lower quadrant anopsia and rotational vertigo. The neurologic symptoms had already been resolved on arrival. Magnetic resonance imaging and digital subtraction angiography revealed an extracranial vertebral artery dissection with no evidence of cerebral infarction. Although medical therapy was initiated, he repeatedly complained of ischemic symptoms. A bypass was performed from the occipital artery to the atlas loop of the vertebral artery with distal occlusion of the lesion. The patient was neurologically intact after the surgery, and magnetic resonance imaging showed no cerebral infarction., Conclusion: A bypass from the occipital artery to the atlas loop of the vertebral artery is an effective procedure for traumatic extracranial vertebral artery dissection with ischemic symptoms., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Circumferential enhancement along the aneurysm wall (CEAW) by magnetic resonance (MR) vessel wall imaging has been reported to be a useful indicator for the biological activity of intracranial aneurysms such as growth and rupture. However, the significance of CEAW in vertebral artery dissection (VAD) has not been examined in detail. We quantitatively analyzed CEAW on VAD focusing on the differences in the clinical onset type., Methods: The subjects were 37 patients diagnosed with VAD who were evaluated by MR imaging in the acute phase of onset between January 2014 and May 2019. The clinical onset of VAD was categorized into 3 subtypes: (1) incidentally detected (incidental group), (2) sudden headache without cerebral ischemia and/or intracranial hemorrhage (headache group), and (3) hemorrhagic onset (hemorrhage group). Three-dimensional T1-weighted fast spin echo sequences were obtained before and after contrast material injection, and the contrast ratio (CR) of the aneurysm wall against the pituitary stalk was calculated as the indicator of CEAW., Results: The CR values of VAD in the hemorrhage group were significantly higher than those in the headache group (0.95 vs. 0.65, p < 0.05), and the headache group had significantly higher CR values than the incidental group (0.65 vs. 0.56, p < 0.05). On receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the optimal cutoff value of CR to distinguish the hemorrhage group from the headache group was 0.83 and that to distinguish the headache group from the incidental group was 0.61., Conclusion: The extent of CEAW precisely reflected the deleterious impact of VAD in the acute stage, including hemorrhagic presentation. The predictive value of CEAW for the prognosis of unruptured VAD should be evaluated in future studies., (© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Background: Vertebral artery dissection (VAD) is an important cause of stroke in young and a known complication of spinal manipulation procedures, although dissection following neck massage has rarely been reported in literature. Head and neck massage by improperly trained salon employees is very popular and widely practiced in developing countries like India. In the present report we present a case of VAD following neck massage., Material and Methods: We present an unusual case of VAD in a 30-year-old male patient following an episode of neck massage. He developed headache, nausea, vomiting, blurred vision, diplopia, dizziness, and ataxia following the procedure. Initial history and examination suggested that the patient's symptoms were vascular in origin. We also discuss a brief review of the pathology, diagnosis, symptomatology, treatment, prognosis, and occurrence of this rare entity., Results: Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed acute infarction of the left cerebellar hemisphere. Digital subtraction angiography showed narrowing and dilatation of the V3 segment of the left vertebral artery with narrowing of the V4 segment consistent with dissection, along with a cavernous segment aneurysm of the contralateral internal carotid artery., Conclusion: This report illustrates the potential hazards associated with neck massage. The vertebral arteries are at risk for dissection, which can lead to acute stroke. This case also suggests that careful history taking and awareness of the symptoms of VAD are necessary to diagnose this entity as timely diagnosis and treatment can prevent permanent disability or even death., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: Bilateral abducens nerve deficits caused by vertebral artery (VA) aneurysm have been reported, but there have been no reports regarding accompanying urinary retention., Patient Concerns: In this report, we describe an unusual case with bilateral abducens nerve palsy and urinary retention due to rupture of a vertebral aneurysm., Diagnoses: Subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by the rupture of a left VA aneurysm., Interventions: The VA aneurysm was successfully controlled by coil embolization., Outcomes: Urinary retention was improved after embolization and recovered by the day the patient left hospital. The bilateral abducens nerve palsy gradually recovered 6 months later., Lessons: This case emphasizes the importance of maintaining a broad, open mind in approaching the diagnosis and management of urinary retention associated with cranial nerve symptoms and reacting quickly to the clinical developments., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Rotational vertebral artery occlusion is a rare syndrome characterized by vertebrobasilar insufficiency secondary to position-dependent occlusion of the vertebral artery. Most cases reported in the literature have been attributed to osteophytic compression, either from the occipital condyle or within the transverse foramen. However, vertebral artery dissection secondary to motion in the setting of anomalous anatomy has not been reported., Case Description: To the authors' knowledge, rotational vertebral artery occlusion and dissection secondary to anomalous entrance into the transverse foramen have never been reported. The authors describe the case of a 42-year-old male who presented with multiple posterior circulation transient ischemic attacks. Standard digital subtraction cerebral angiography demonstrated a non-flow-limiting right vertebral artery dissection, while dynamic digital subtraction cerebral angiography was remarkable for right vertebral artery stenosis that worsened with neck rotation. Computed tomography angiography of the neck revealed an anomalous course of the right vertebral artery, which entered the transverse foramen at C4 with preforaminal compression by the anterior tubercle of the C5 transverse process. The patient had no further symptomatic events after decompression of the vertebral artery by resecting the anterior C5 tubercle., Conclusions: In the setting of codominant vertebral circulation and unilateral bony compression, the authors propose that neck rotation led to vertebral artery trauma, causing dissection complicated by thromboembolism. This is a novel and unusual entity that is different from Bowhunter's syndrome., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: An accurate diagnosis of isolated posterior inferior cerebellar artery dissection (iPICA-D) is difficult due to the limitation of spatial resolution on conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to detect subtle vessel wall abnormalities. The recent development of MRI techniques, including high-resolution vessel wall imaging (HRVWI), has resulted in the improved diagnostic accuracy and efficiency of iPICA-D. In fact, T1-weighted HRVWI, which can reveal intramural hematomas in the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA), is useful for the diagnosis of iPICA-D. However, the utility of T2-weighted HRVWI has not been previously reported. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic utility of T1- and T2-weighted HRVWI for the diagnosis of iPICA-D., Methods: We retrospectively evaluated MRI findings including intramural hematomas, dilations, and chronological changes in 4 patients with iPICA-D admitted to our hospital and related facility from January 2015 to August 2016. In addition to T1-weighted HRVWI, T2-weighted HRVWI was performed on isovoxel three-dimensional (3D) fast spin-echo or 3D sampling perfection with application-optimized contrast using different flip-angle evolution. We also reviewed cases of nonhemorrhagic iPICA-D with ischemic onset in which the MRI findings were described., Results: In all 4 patients, in addition to the intramural hematomas on T1-weighted HRVWI, T2-weighted HRVWI clearly showed the fusiform dilation of the external diameter of the PICA. T2-weighted HRVWI was more useful than other techniques, including T1-weighted HRVWI, for the evaluation of arterial shape changes., Conclusions: Like T1-weighted HRVWI, T2-weighted HRVWI is useful for the diagnosis and assessment of chronological changes in vessel wall abnormalities during the follow-up period., (Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 45-year-old woman was admitted with headache following sudden disturbance of consciousness that occurred two hours beforehand. A neurological examination identified disorientation, left homonymous hemianopia, left hemiplegia, and sensory disturbance in the left limbs. Brain MRI DWI showed acute infarcts in the right occipital lobe and bilateral thalami, and MRA poorly depicted right vertebral artery and right posterior cerebral artery. Anticoagulation was started to treat acute ischemic stroke, but her consciousness level deteriorated at 12 hours after onset. MRI revealed a double lumen in the basilar artery, indicating a diagnosis of vertebrobasilar artery dissection. Serial MRA findings showed that images of the basilar artery and posterior cerebral artery changed over time, suggesting vertebral artery dissection extension to the posterior cerebral artery.

Background: Man in the barrel syndrome (MBS) is a condition of brachial diplegia initially described after a bilateral watershed cerebral infarct between the anterior and the middle cerebral artery territories., Objective: To report a case of MBS as a consequence of anterior spinal artery infarct due to vertebral artery dissection., Discussion: More recently, nonischemic lesions in brain and brain stem have also been described as etiologies of MBS. There are few reports describing spinal cord infarction leading to MBS. The anterior spinal artery syndrome with only brachial diplegia also represents a rare and atypical pattern., Conclusion: The conventional neurological consideration that MBS provides a precise anatomical localization is now challenged. The finding of a brachial diplegia leads to the need to investigate the brain, the spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system., (Copyright © 2017 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A 30-year-old woman presented to an emergency department with sudden onset of transient loss of left peripheral vision. Owing to a history of migraine headaches, she was released with a diagnosis of ocular migraine. Two days later, she sought chiropractic care for the chief symptom of severe neck pain. The chiropractor suspected the possibility of vertebral artery dissection (VAD). No manipulation was performed; instead, MR angiography (MRA) of the neck was obtained, which revealed an acute left VAD with early thrombus formation. The patient was placed on aspirin therapy. Repeat MRA of the neck 3 months later revealed resolution of the thrombus, without progression to stroke. This case illustrates the importance for all healthcare providers who see patients with neck pain and headache to be attentive to the symptomatic presentation of possible VAD in progress., (2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.)

A 49-year-old woman was admitted with Hunt and Hess grade 1 subarachnoid haemorrhage. A cerebral aneurysm of the intracranial left vertebral artery (VA) distal to the left posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) was found and treated using parent vessel occlusion with coils. The PICA was preserved. Angiography at three time points during her hospitalisation showed a normal right VA. Eight months later, angiography demonstrated a new 14 mm right VA dissecting aneurysm with 90% outflow stenosis and recurrence of the left VA aneurysm distal to the coils. A Marksman microcatheter would not traverse the stenosis despite the use of two intraluminal wires. Following Gateway balloon (1.5 mm × 9 mm) angioplasty, the Marksman passed easily. The pipeline embolisation device (PED) was successfully deployed across the aneurysm and 11 coils placed through a trapped microcatheter. The patient was discharged home 2 days later. Eighteen-month follow-up has revealed complete resolution of both aneurysms., (2015 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.)

A 48-year-old man experienced lateral medullary infarction resulting from spontaneous vertebral artery (VA) dissection. Minimal fusiform dilatation was noted on basi-parallel anatomic scanning-magnetic resonance imaging; therefore, the patient was treated conservatively. Eight months later, he experienced deterioration of dysphagia and the onset of gait ataxia. Repeated imaging studies showed enlargement of the VA aneurysm with bulbar compression. Parent artery occlusion on the proximal side of the VA affected by the dissection relieved the patient's symptoms. Although the majority of dissected lesions stabilize within a few months, studies with longer observation periods and more frequent neuroimaging examinations are required.

Dissecting vertebral artery (VA) aneurysms are difficult to obliterate when the parent artery cannot be safely occluded. In this video, we demonstrate a combined microsurgical and endovascular treatment technique for a ruptured, dissecting VA aneurysm incorporating the origin of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA). We first performed a PICA-PICA side-to-side bypass to preserve flow through the right PICA. An endovascular approach was then utilized to embolize the proximal portion of the aneurysm from the right VA and the distal portion of the aneurysm from the left VA. The video can be found here: http://youtu.be/dkkKsX2BiJI .

Background: Symptomatic intracranial vertebral artery (VA) disease has various clinical features and poor neurological outcomes. The disease is believed to result from atherosclerotic stenosis, occlusion, or spontaneous VA dissection. The underlying histopathology of symptomatic intracranial VA disease has only been studied at postmortem, and no in vivo imaging investigation has been conducted despite the increased sophistication of imaging techniques., Methods: The authors performed high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI) of intracranial vertebral arteries in 9 patients, suspected of a VA pathology by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), magnetic resonance angiography, and digital subtraction angiography., Results: HR-MRI allowed the authors to determine the following: (1) atherosclerotic plaque is composed of a large lipid core with intraplaque hemorrhage and calcification, (2) nonstenotic atherosclerosis exhibits diffuse vessel wall thickening and plaque protruding toward perforating arteries, and (3) spontaneous VA dissection exhibits large intramural hematoma in a false lumen with complete occlusion of the true lumen. In addition, VA hypoplasia was easily differentiated from atherosclerotic stenosis, by direct visualization of a narrow lumen diameter without arterial wall thickening. Furthermore, etiologic diagnoses based on classical MRI, angiography, and digital subtraction angiography were changed in 3 patients after HR-MRI. Additional information on plaque stability, indicating the possibility of unstable plaque, was found in 4 patients., Conclusions: The application of HR-MRI in stroke patients with VA pathologies enabled the authors to determine the underlying pathophysiologies. These findings could be used to improve risk stratification and treatment decision making in symptomatic intracranial VA disease., (Copyright © 2014 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Vertebral artery dissection(VAD)presenting as isolated occipital headache and/or neck pain is being increasingly diagnosed because of the development of magnetic resonance imaging(MRI). While a majority of the patients diagnosed with this condition shows a favorable prognosis, the pain may be a predictor of fatal stroke in some patients. We aimed to find out the features of headache with VAD, identify the clinical manifestations indicative of VAD, and determine the ideal diagnostic approach to this condition to avoid fatal stroke. We reviewed medical records of 41 consecutive patients who showed VAD with isolated headache and were diagnosed between 1995 and 2008. All patients experienced pain in the occipitocervical area ipsilateral to the affected VA. Pain showed a sudden onset in 21(51%)patients, was persistent over several days in 31(76%)patients, and was severe enough to disable daily life activities in 34(83%)patients. Progression of stenosis or aneurysmal dilatation of the vessel was identified on follow-up imaging(angiography, magnetic resonance angiography)in 7 patients(17%), and was found within 14 days after pain onset in 6 of these patients(86%). Patients with persistent, severe, and unilateral pain in the occipitocervical area should undergo MRI examination, including surface anatomy scanning(SAS)imaging, and the possibility of VAD should be considered in their diagnosis. Once VAD is diagnosed, the patient should undergo meticulous blood pressure control, bed rest, and repeated MRI examination for at least 2 weeks after onset.

Background: Vertebral artery dissection (VAD) is an important cause of stroke in the young. VAD can present with a range of imaging findings. We sought to summarize the diagnostic value of various imaging findings in patients with symptomatic VAD., Methods: We conducted a systematic review of observational studies, searching electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE) for English-language manuscripts with >5 subjects with clinical or radiologic features of VAD. Two independent reviewers selected studies for inclusion; a third adjudicated differences. Studies were assessed for methodological quality and imaging data were abstracted. Pooled proportions were calculated., Results: Of 3996 citations, we screened 511 manuscripts and selected 75 studies describing 1972 VAD patients. Most studies utilized conventional angiography or magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) to diagnose VAD; computed tomographic angiography (CTA) and Doppler ultrasonography were described less frequently. Imaging findings reported were vertebral artery stenosis (51%), string and pearls (48%), arterial dilation (37%), arterial occlusion (36%), and pseudoaneurysm, double lumen, and intimal flap (22% each). In cases where conventional angiography was the reference standard, CTA was more sensitive (100%) than either MRA (77%) or Doppler ultrasonography (71%) (P=0.001)., Conclusions: Imaging findings vary widely in patients with VAD, with no single radiographic sign present in the majority of VAD patients. Nonspecific radiographic signs predominate. CTA probably has greater sensitivity for dissection than MRA or ultrasound relative to conventional angiography. Higher quality studies on imaging techniques and radiographic criteria in subjects with VAD are needed. Future studies should compare imaging techniques in well-defined, undifferentiated populations of clinical VAD suspects.

Background: Patients with spontaneous intradural vertebral artery dissection (siVAD) developing subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) have been observed to have poor outcomes. Factors predisposing siVAD patients to SAH are not well known. We aimed to investigate the clinical and vertebrobasilar artery morphological characteristics associated with SAH in patients with siVAD., Methods: We reviewed 103 consecutive patients with siVAD managed at our facility between July 2003 and June 2012. We divided the patients into groups, with (n = 22) and without (n = 81) SAH, and compared clinical and vertebrobasilar artery morphological characteristics between them. The vertebral-union-basilar angle (VUBA) was defined as the most acute angle between the line of the basilar artery trunk and the line of the vertebral artery at the vertebral union on 3-dimensional magnetic resonance angiography, computed tomographic angiography, or digital subtraction angiography. 'Steep vertebral artery' was defined as VUBA >45°. Basilar artery bending was defined as the longest distance from the line which connected the basilar top and vertebral artery union to the greatest bending point of the basilar artery., Results: Stepwise logistic regression analysis was performed using variables that were marginally or significantly associated with SAH on univariate analysis (p < 0.10) and that were thought to be clinically important for SAH. It showed SAH patients to have significantly higher proportions of current smoking (OR: 7.7; 95% CI: 2.7-22; p = 0.0015), dissection of the dominant vertebral artery (OR: 4.9; 95% CI: 1.8-13; p = 0.043), steep vertebral artery of the dissecting side (OR: 7.2; 95% CI: 2.6-20; p = 0.0023), posterior inferior cerebellar artery involvement (OR: 4.0; 95% CI: 1.3-13; p = 0.011), basilar artery bending <3 mm (OR: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.3-9.5; p = 0.0040), and pearl-and-string sign (OR: 5.7; 95% CI: 2.0-16; p = 0.0033)., Conclusions: We suggest that the clinical and vertebrobasilar artery morphological characteristics demonstrated in the present study may be related to SAH induced by siVAD. Although all patients with siVAD should be closely monitored, those with siVAD who have these characteristics should perhaps be more closely followed than those who do not have such features., (Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Object: It is well known that spontaneous intradural vertebral artery dissection (siVAD) is an important cause of nontraumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The factors that influence whether SAH develops, however, remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate whether clinical characteristics and imaging findings are different in patients with siVAD with SAH compared to those with siVAD without SAH., Methods: The authors conducted a retrospective, single-institution study involving patients in whom siVAD developed with or without SAH, between July 2003 and November 2010. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate clinical characteristics and MR angiography findings. The vertebral-union-basilar angle (VUBA) was defined as the most acute angle between line of the basilar artery trunk and line of the vertebral angle (VA) at the vertebral union on 3D MR angiograms., Results: Among 58 patients with siVAD, 21 developed SAH. The presence of siVAD and SAH was significantly associated with higher rates of current smoking (OR 13; 95% CI 3.6-38; p < 0.0001), dissection of the dominant VA (OR 9.2; 95% CI 2.5-19; p = 0.0004), and unruptured supratentorial nondissecting saccular aneurysms (OR 11; 95% CI 2.1-19; p = 0.0025), and the VUBA of the dominant VA was significantly larger (p < 0.0001, univariate analysis). Multivariate analysis showed that these differences were still significant (p < 0.05)., Conclusions: A larger VUBA of the dominant VA, the presence of unruptured supratentorial nondissecting saccular aneurysms, and current smoking may be factors that predict which patients with siVAD will develop SAH by dominant VAD.

We report an autopsy case of segmental arterial mediolysis (SAM) of various phases occurring in both the intracranial vertebral artery (IVA) and intra-abdominal arteries. The patient was a 70-year-old male found dead in his house. The cause of death was massive intra-abdominal hemorrhage owing to a ruptured right gastroepiploic artery. Histopathological examination revealed that there was a broad arterial dissection as long as 20 cm in the right gastroepiploic artery associated with SAM in the injurious phase. In addition, SAM in the reparative phase was observed as organized arterial dissections in the left gastric artery. Furthermore, SAM in the reparative phase was detected as an arterial dissection in the right IVA undergoing an organizing process. These three lesions were considered to have developed at different times. SAM occurring in both the intra-abdominal and intracranial vertebral arteries is extremely rare. This coincidence may provide a clue to the relationship between SAM and spontaneous IVA dissection.

A 51-year-old man presented with an extremely rare case of intracranial subarachnoid hemorrhage caused by rupture of an anterior spinal artery aneurysm manifesting as disturbance of consciousness following sudden onset of neck pain and numbness of the extremities. Cranial computed tomography revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage, mainly in the posterior fossa. Cerebral angiography studies on admission and on the 4th day demonstrated no definite abnormality as a bleeding source. A ventricular catheter was inserted to treat the acute hydrocephalus, and conservative management was continued during the acute period. Third angiography on the 18th day demonstrated an anterior spinal artery aneurysm at the C1 level which was considered to be the bleeding site. After conservative treatment, the patient was discharged without neurological deficits. Fourth angiography on the 108 th day disclosed spontaneous disappearance of the aneurysm, which was confirmed by the fifth angiography on the 269 th day. If subarachnoid hemorrhage of unknown etiology is encountered, spinal artery aneurysm should be considered as the bleeding source. Despite the controversy concerning the treatment strategy, ruptured spinal artery aneurysms can be treated conservatively because of the possibility of spontaneous regression. Follow-up angiography is required to evaluate the natural course of the lesion.

A 50-year-old man presented with a dissecting aneurysm arising from the extracranial portion of the right posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) causing subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and manifesting as sudden onset of disturbed consciousness. Computed tomography showed SAH with ventricular reflux predominantly in the posterior fossa. Angiography revealed a fusiform aneurysm of the right PICA originating extracranially from the right vertebral artery. The aneurysm was isolated and excised. Histological examination showed dissection of the aneurysm wall. Dissecting aneurysm arising from the extracranial portion of the PICA is extremely rare.

We report a rare case of a ruptured vertebral artery dissecting aneurysm (VADA) with affected vertebral artery (VA) occlusion. A 66-year-old hypertensive man presented with subarachnoid hemorrhage. No cerebeller sign or cranial nerve palsy was found on admission. Initial CT angiography and digital subtraction angiography (DSA) revealed the right VA occlusion. On the three days after onset, the right VA was recanalized and visualized as a posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA)-involved VADA. Endovascular internal trapping of the right VA including PICA origin was performed. In conclusion, it is essential that patients of VA occlusion associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage should be carefully diagnosed considering the possibility of VADA.

Objective: To present a patient with a cervico-thoracic ventrally located epidural hematoma caused by dissection and subsequent bleeding of the cervical portion of the vertebral artery., Summary and Background Data: Non traumatic epidural hematoma is a rare entity. The etiology usually is not clarified: a venous origin is usually suspected although an arterial source is also possible., Clinical Report: A 32-year-old woman presented with a ventrally located cervico-thoracic epidural hematoma caused by non traumatic dissection and dissecting aneurysm rupture of the cervical portion of the vertebral artery. The dissection was demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging and digital subtraction angiography. The patient had no neurological symptoms and was treated by conservative methods. Follow up imaging showed healing of the vertebral artery and resorption of the epidural hematoma., Conclusion: Dissection of the cervical portion of the vertebral artery with subsequent perivascular bleeding is not well recognized as a possible cause of a spinal epidural hematoma. Even though this entity and the underlying cause may be rare, we suggest a vigilant search for vertebral artery injury in cases of ventrally located cervical and upper thoracic epidural hematoma.

Study Design: This study is a case report demonstrating a rare clinical presentation of vertebral artery dissection. We believe that this is the first reported case with multilevel combined sensorimotor radiculopathy. We have also included a literature review., Objective: The purpose of this report is to inform the reader of a unique clinical presentation and to draw attention to some of the rare features of extracranial vertebral artery dissection. We believe that this condition is perhaps underrecognized and this paper may help to increase awareness, thereby encouraging prompt investigation, diagnosis, and implementing early treatment. The literature review also includes a brief anatomic and physiologic description of the underlying pathologic process., Summary of Background Data: Only a small number of similar cases are described in the literature, though most describe a motor deficit at a single root level. Our case included both motor and sensory deficits at more than 1 level and we describe the possible physiologic and anatomic reasons for this., Methods: The case described is one that presented to our institution and was initially assessed by the first (corresponding) author. The literature review is based on articles identified from a PubMed search on vertebral artery dissection., Results: The clinical and radiologic findings are discussed in the case report., Conclusions: Peripheral motor deficits are a rare clinical presentation of spontaneous vertebral artery dissection and tend to affect a solitary root level, typically C5. Sensation is usually preserved. We describe a case presenting with multilevel combined sensorimotor radiculopathy, which we believe has not previously been reported.

Craniocervical arterial dissection is an important cause of childhood arterial ischemic stroke, accounting for 7.5% to 20% of cases. Significant neurologic morbidity and mortality may result and recurrence risk may be higher than in adults. However, the natural history and long-term outcome of pediatric dissection are poorly studied. We report 3 cases of extracranial vertebral artery dissection with complications including pseudoaneurysm formation, recurrent stroke, and late spontaneous thrombosis of the dissected artery. These cases illustrate the dynamic processes involved in vascular injury and healing of vertebral artery dissection in children over years, with potential implications for long-term management and prevention of recurrence.

Background: Vertebral artery injury following cervical spine trauma can be associated with stroke. We present a case of a C1 fracture resulting in vertebral artery dissection and neurological decline as a result of basilar artery occlusion treated with chemical and mechanical thrombolysis resulting in basilar artery patency and clinical improvement., Case Description: The patient is a 43-year-old female who was involved in a motor vehicle collision where she sustained multiple cervical spine injuries including a comminuted fracture of the left lateral mass of C1 resulting in vertebral artery dissection which eventually led to a basilar artery embolus and occlusion. A total of 15 mg of intraarterial tissue plasminogen activator was infused throughout the clot, followed by mechanical clot embolectomy using an FDA-approved device. Her neurological exam improved post-procedurally and she was discharged with a left hemiparesis to a rehabilitation facility 3 weeks after admission. At 15 month follow up, she is neurologically intact with the exception of some subtle difficulty with fine motor movement in the right upper extremity and mild dysmetria on the right., Conclusions: With this case, we report a rare and potentially devastating complication of C1 fracture. To our knowledge there are only two previously reported cases where a C1 fracture has been associated with basilar artery occlusion resulting in death and locked-in syndrome respectively. In this case, chemical thrombolysis and mechanical thrombectomy resulted in recanalization of the basilar artery with excellent long-term neurological outcome.

Background: Endovascular proximal parent artery occlusion has been performed for VA dissection. We describe a case that presented with headache associated with transient enlargement of contralateral VA after VA occlusion., Case Description: A 54-year-old man presented with constant occipital headache on the left due to left VA dissection. Proximal parent artery occlusion of the left VA with detachable coils was performed, and the headache disappeared after coil occlusion. However, the patient presented with occipital headache on the right 1 week later. The MRI showed enlargement of the right VA compared with before the procedure. Four weeks later, the right occipital headache disappeared, and MRI showed improvement of enlargement of the right VA., Conclusion: The patient might present with right occipital headache related to transient enlargement of contralateral VA after VA occlusion. Careful postoperative neuroradiological examination of the contralateral VA is required because contralateral VA enlargement may be caused by hemodynamic stress after VA occlusion.

Introduction: The distal segment of the PICA (posterior inferior cerebellar artery) is a very rare localization for the occurrence of intracranial aneurysms. They are almost always presented with SAH (subarachnoid hemorrhage). Hydrocephalus often develops following intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). The distal PICA segment is a quite difficult localization for neurosurgical procedures. The authors could not find any case report presenting multiple aneurysms on a distal segment of PICA in the literature. CASE 1: A 62-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency room with complaints of sudden headache, vomiting and blackout of consciousness. Early CT scans demonstrated SAH and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH). In his medical history, SAH had been determined in our clinic 3 month previously. He had carried out conservative treatment ever since the distal located PICA aneurysm had been determined. There was no determined symptom except for moderate neck stiffness in his physical examination. In his neurological examination, he was stuporous and he localized the pain in his left arm. A ventriculo-atrial shunt operation was performed after the external ventricular drainage which was applied at the acute period of hydrocephalus in his previous SAH. Both of the left distal PICA aneurysms were clipped via a left lateral suboccipital craniotomy. The patient was discharged from the hospital without neurological deficit in the seventh day postoperatively. His control examination was normal and there was not any fixed pathological filling in the control cerebral digital subtraction angiography (DSA). CASE 2: A 49-year-old female patient was admitted to the emergency service with the complaint of headache, dizziness and vomiting. She was neurologically intact except for neck stiffness. A cranial CT demonstrated triventricular hydrocephalus and a hemispheric cerebellar hematoma, which was about 1 x 1.5 cm in diameter. The cerebellar DSA was normal. The patient was discharged with no neurological impairment. In the examination of the control cerebral DSA, two aneurysmatic fillings were determined in the distal segments of right posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA). Both of the aneurysms were clipped through a microsurgical approach. No neurological deficit was determined in the postoperative early and late stages. In the control cerebral DSA, no aneurysmatic filling was seen., Discussion: Distal PICA aneurysms constitute only 0.28-1.4% of all intracranial aneurysms. Most of the patients present with SAH and along with this; intraventricular hemorrhage is seen and later on, hydrocephalus develops. As for treatment, surgery and endovascular interference methods can be applied.

Dissection of the cervicocerebral arteries is an infrequent occurrence but is a leading cause of stroke in young and otherwise healthy patients. A brief review of the history, pathogenesis, and management is presented. The proper management for stroke prevention in dissection is unclear as there have been no randomized, controlled trials performed; small trials are under way.

Background: Acute multiple brain infarction (AMBI) pattern on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) is associated with arterial and cardiac sources of embolism. The DWI characteristics of patients with stroke due to vertebrobasilar arterial dissection and atherosclerotic disease have not been reported in detail., Objective: To describe the DWI stroke patterns in patients with posterior circulation occlusive disease to determine mechanisms of ischemia., Design: Retrospective analysis of infarct patterns in patients with symptomatic vertebrobasilar disease., Setting: Large community-based teaching hospital., Patients: Patients admitted with stroke due to vertebrobasilar disease were identified retrospectively. Patients were included if DWI was obtained within 7 days of symptom onset., Main Outcome Measure: Infarct patterns were analyzed according to established templates of vascular territories., Results: Eleven patients with vertebral dissection and 39 patients with atherothrombosis were identified. An AMBI pattern was present in 8 (72%) of 11 patients with arterial dissections and 25 (64%) of 39 patients with atherosclerotic disease (P = .48). Distal embolism to the terminal branches of the basilar artery occurred with equal frequency in both groups and was found in half of all cases. Isolated thalamic infarction did not occur. Pontine infarction was noted in 2 (18%) of 11 patients with dissections and 18 (46%) of 39 patients with atherosclerosis (P = .09). Cerebellar border zone involvement was found in 14 (36%) of 39 patients with atherosclerosis and 4 (37%) of 11 patients with dissections (P = .6)., Conclusions: Large arterial disease is frequently associated with AMBI in the posterior circulation. The incidence of AMBI was comparable to that reported in the anterior circulation. This DWI study supports the importance of embolism as the main mechanism of infarction in patients with vertebrobasilar occlusive disease. On the basis of our experience, large-vessel vertebrobasilar disease rarely causes isolated small-vessel thalamic infarction.

The most frequent clinical manifestation of vertebral artery dissection is posterior headache or neck pain accompanied or followed by posterior circulation transient ischemic attack or stroke. Rarer clinical features include isolated headache or neck pain, cervical spinal cord ischemia and cervical root impairment. Asymptomatic vertebral artery dissections have been reported. In the case of primary intracranial vertebral artery dissection or intracranial extension of an extracranial dissection, subarachnoid hemorrhage and rarely rostral cervical spinal cord ischemia or posterior fossa mass effect may occur.

A 54-year-old man developed left hemiparesis and tactile and deep sensory disturbance following onset of rightside cervical pain. These symptoms resulted from an isolated infarct in the right medial area of the upper medulla oblongata and intracranial vertebral artery (VA) dissection. Atherosclerotic disease of the VA is the most common cause of medial medullary infarction. In past reports of isolated medial medullary infarction, only a few cases involved VA dissection.

A 63-year-old hypertensive man presented with vertebral artery (VA) dissection manifesting as subarachnoid hemorrhage located mainly in the posterior fossa. Left vertebral angiography on the day of hemorrhage showed complete occlusion of the left VA. Right vertebral angiography showed retrograde filling of the distal portion of the left VA and the left posterior inferior cerebellar artery, and a "double lumen"-like finding in the left VA. He was managed conservatively. Follow-up angiography on Day 29 showed spontaneous recanalization of the occlusive lesion and an almost normal arterial configuration. T2-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) imaging on Day 45 revealed multiple infarctions in the brainstem. T1-weighted MR imaging showed a high intensity area, suggestive of intramural hematoma, in the left VA. He was transferred to another hospital in a persistent vegetative state.

A 51-year-old man presented with loss of consciousness when he underwent urological examination at another hospital. CT scans showed subarachnoid hemorrhage, and cerebral angiography showed bilateral dissecting aneurysms of the vertebral arteries. Following ventricular drainage, the lesion was managed conservatively with blood pressure control but again ruptured on day 8. Cerebral angiography revealed narrowing of both the dissecting aneurysms. On day 11, the right vertebral artery had been spontaneously obliterated and the right dissecting aneurysm was filled in a retrograde fashion via the left vertebral artery. Proximal occlusion of the right vertebral artery was performed to prevent recanalization. Two months later, cerebral angiography revealed that both vertebral arteries were obliterated and the basilar artery and right posterior inferior cerebellar artery were filled via the right posterior communicating artery. The present case demonstrated that the hemodynamic status of bilateral dissecting aneurysms of the vertebral artery changed variably indicating the necessity of careful angiographic observation.

Background: In recent years, new radiographic diagnostics have increased our knowledge about dissection of the carotid and vertebral arteries as a cause of stroke, probably an underdiagnosed condition. Carotid dissection is now considered one of the most frequent aetiologies of ischaemic stroke in patients less than 50 years of age and it accounts for 20% of all cases under the age of 30., Material and Methods: In this paper we describe clinical course and investigations in four patients who had dissection of the precerebral arteries., Results: Three patients had carotid artery dissection, one vertebral artery dissection. Three patients had ischaemic symptoms. One patient had symptoms following physiotherapy to the neck., Interpretation: Patients with craniocervical arterial dissection should be investigated with ultrasound techniques and MRI or CT; antiplatelet agents or anticoagulation therapy should be considered.