
Dolichoectatic middle cerebral artery masquerading as cerebral cavernous malformation
Author(s) -
Zahraa F. Al-Sharshahi,
Saja A. Albanaa,
Ahmed M. Jawad,
Noor K. Al-Waely,
Noor A. Hummadi,
Samer S. Hoz
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
romanian neurosurgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2344-4959
pISSN - 1220-8841
DOI - 10.33962/roneuro-2020-084
Subject(s) - medicine , radiology , asymptomatic , headaches , magnetic resonance imaging , middle cerebral artery , neuroradiology , cerebral angiography , angiography , neurosurgery , magnetic resonance angiography , aneurysm , surgery , neurology , ischemia , psychiatry
Background: Intracranial dolichoectasia (IADE) is a rare vascular disease characterized by distension, elongation and tortuosity of an artery. IADE rarely involves pediatric aged groups. It is either asymptomatic or manifests as ischemic or hemorrhagic attacks.
Case description: A healthy, 30-year-old, female teacher presented with recurrent attacks of bi-frontal headaches associated with dizziness and dropping attacks of two-week duration. She was referred by her general physician to our institution of Neurosurgery Teaching Hospital in Baghdad, Iraq with a suspicion of medial temporal lesion on a cranial computed tomography (CT) scan. Magnetic resonance imaging study excluded the diagnosis suggesting a dolichoectatic middle cerebral artery that was confirmed by CT-angiography.
Conclusion: Dolichoectasia of the middle cerebral artery is a rare and benign lesion. However, it can masquerade as cerebral cavernous malformation or intracranial arterial aneurysm. Thus, careful radiological evaluation with the suggested diagnostic criteria are of paramount importance to prevent its misdiagnosis.