<% strPathPics = Session("strPathPicsL") imgBg = strPathPics + Session("strMedia") %> Vertebral Dissection 3

Vertebral Artery Dissection - Case 3

A 49 year-old woman developed the abrupt onset of loss of vision in her right visual field.

Show the Occipital Infarct   Outline the Right Vertebral Dissection   Show the Pseudo-aneurysm   Show the Vertebral Narrowing

(Top Left) Axial Diffusion weighted MRI scan - note the acute infarct in the distribution of the left posterior cerebral artery. (Top Right) Cerebral angiogram of the right vertebral artery. Note the narrowing then outpouching the right vertebral artery. This is one of the angiographic appearances of a dissection. As blood dissects into the wall and narrows the lumen, a smooth tapering of the vessel is seen; as blood dissects and expands the wall, a pseudo-aneurysm develops - both are seen here.  (Bottom Left) Fat suppression axial MRI - note the bright crescent shaped lesion surrounding the right vertebral artery. This is blood in the wall of the vessel. (Bottom Right) Gadolinium bolus infusion MRI of the aortic arch and major cerebral vessels. Note of the narrowing of the mid-lower right vertebral artery.

Revised 04/26/06.
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