A case of bilateral absence of internal carotid with cerebral aneurysm

A 52-year-old woman was referred to the Department of Neurosurgery, Saiseikai Fukuoka General Hospital because of the abnormal findings on CT from a private hospital. She had previously had two attacks of severe headache. In May 1985, she noted severe headache with vomiting and was transported to a nearby hospital. She was hospitalized there until CT was performed. On admission, she was clear in consciousness and complained of headache of moderate degree. Neurological examination was normal except for mild nuchal rigidity. A standard series of roentgenograms of the skull revealed a round calcified area in the supraclinoidal region. CT revealed a calcified lesion which must be a vessel in the chiasma cistern just adjacent to the basilar artery which was relatively larger than normal. Furthermore, no carotid canal was visible in the bilateral petrous bone by means of bony algorythum. Selective internal carotid angiographies were attempted. There was no evidence of an internal carotid artery on either sides. Furthermore,the ophthalmic arteries were fed via external carotid systems. A vertebral angiography demonstrated bilateral hypertrophy of the vertebral artery with an aneurysmal shadow in the left P1 of the posterior cerebral artery. The supratentorial circulation was maintained via the right posterior communicating artery in the right middle cerebral artery and the bilateral anterior cerebral arteries. On the other hand, the circulation of the left middle cerebral artery was maintained by the retrograde filling from the right anterior and posterior cerebral arteries. Operation was performed by left sylvian approach followed by subtemporal approach.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Case of Moyamoya disease with agraphia caused by a frontal lesion

A 45-year-old woman showed agraphia and decreasing spontaneity. She was diagnosed as Moyamoya disease by cerebral angiography. CT scans revealed the abnormal low density area in the left frontal lobe, and the regional cerebral blood flow study showed low perfusion in the bilateral frontal lobe and the left high convexity area. She could copy specimens of the author's writing, but her spontaneous writing and dictation were impaired with either hand. The form of each letter she wrote was not so distorted, but wrong letters were substituted for the correct ones. Errors in Kana-writing were more common than in Kanji. Although her spontaneous speech was diminished, auditory comprehension, reading and constructional abilities were unaffected. She exhibited no agnosia and apraxia. Agraphia in this case was caused by a disconnection between the visual image and auditory image and/or between the visual image and kinesthetic image. Inner speech (Luria, AR et al, 1968) in this case might be disturbed, and decreasing spontaneity and delay of response resulted from the frontal lesion. The writing process may be constituted of many factors; images of visual, auditory and kinesthetic as well as primary functions of sensory and motor. Furthermore, it may be necessary for normal writing that one's inner speech, activities and intention of writing behavior are intact.     

An Autopsy Case of Binswanger's Disease without Hypertension and Associated with Cerebral Infarction in the Terminal Stage

Abstract: We report here an autopsy case of Binswanger's disease (BD) without hypertension and associated with cerebral infarction in the terminal stage. The female patient, who was 74 years old at the time of death, had initially demonstrated manic-depressive disorder-like mental disorder, followed by dementia and neurological deficits. A brain CT scan showed white matter low attenuation bilaterally and symmetrically. BD was clinically diagnosed despite the lack of hypertension. In the terminal stage, she suffered an infarction in the left anterior cerebral artery region, and died of pneumonia. Neuropathologically, we found the infarction of the left anterior cerebral artery region, demyelination, fibrillary gliosis, lacunae and arteriosclerosis of the small arteries and arterioles in the white matter.     

Spontaneous bilateral anterior cerebral artery occlusion resulting in akinetic mutism. A case report

An unusual case concerning a patient with akinetic mutism (AM) due to spontaneous bilateral anterior cerebral artery occlusion is reported. Brain CT scan revealed the presence of mild low density foci presenting an irregular enhancement, which followed the distribution of mesial frontal gyri and paracentral lobulus, bilaterally. Right and left carotid angiographies showed bilateral occlusion of the anterior cerebral artery. Our case is characterized by an exclusive localization of the infarction in the frontal cortex. This finding suggests that a limited damage involving the anterior cerebral arteries territory could be, on its own, responsible for the AM syndrome.     

Multiple aneurysms associated with bilateral carotid occlusion and venous angioma: surgical management risk-case report.

A unique case of multiple aneurysms associated with bilateral carotid artery occlusion and venous angioma is described. A 42 year old female presented with subarachnoid haemorrhage. Cerebral angiograms demonstrated(1) a ruptured saccular aneurysm in the right posterior cerebral artery,(2) bilateral occlusion of internal carotid arteries,(3) a rete mirabile in the subtemporal fossa fed by left external carotid artery which connected with the internal carotid artery at the cavernous portion where a saccular aneurysm had formed, and(4) a venous angioma in the posterior fossa. The ruptured aneurysm of the posterior cerebral artery was obliterated preserving the anterior choroidal arteries. However, a left hemiparesis developed and CT scan revealed a small low density area in the right posterior limb of the internal capsule postoperatively. A ruptured aneurysm associated with bilateral extracranial carotid occlusion poses a clinical dilemma and treatment of such cases is challenging and difficult. The non-surgical and surgical outcomes of ruptured cerebral aneurysms associated with internal carotid occlusion are reviewed.     

A case of reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) triggered by a Chinese herbal medicine]

A 51-year-old woman started taking Chinese medicine containing ephedara herba as a nasal decongestant. One week later, she had three episodes of thunderclap headache, one during defecation and the others while taking a bath. She then had a convulsive seizure upon resolution of the second headache. A cranial CT did not show subarachnoid hemorrhage. Repeated CSF examinations showed neither xanthochromia nor inflammation. Brain diffusion-weighted and FLAIR MR images revealed high intensity lesions in bilateral hemispheres. A cerebral angiography showed multifocal segmental stenosis of bilateral cerebral arteries. Four months later, follow-up angiography showed normalized flow in all cerebral arteries and we gave a diagnosis of reversible vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS). She has had no symptoms and signs since the third attack of headache. RCVS is an important disease in the differential diagnosis of thunderclap headache without neurological deficit. This is the first report of RCVS triggered by Chinese herbal medicine.     

CT灌注成像联合CT血管造影诊断超早期缺血性脑血管病的价值

目的 研究CT灌注成像(CTPI)联合CT血管造影(CTA)对超早期缺血性脑血管病(ICVD)的诊断价值。方法 对46例ICVD患者，在发病6h内进行头颅CT平扫、CTPI及CTA检查。结果 (1)CT平扫：显示低密度灶5例，未见异常41例；(2)CTPI：脑血流灌注正常16例，异常30例；(3)CTA：27例患者大脑中动脉(MCA)、大脑前动脉(ACA)不同程度狭窄，2例MCA明显变细，17例CTA图像正常；(4)25例大、中体积脑梗死患者CTPI图像均显示相应灌注缺损区，CTA均显示血管狭窄或闭塞。9例小体积脑梗死患者中，CTPI显示灌注缺损区5例，正常4例；CTA显示血管狭窄2例，正常7例。12例短暂性脑缺血发作(TIA)患者CTPI均正常，2例CTA显示MCA明显变细，远侧血管网增多；其余10例正常。结论 CTPl联合CTA能够超早期诊断ICVD，并可鉴别TIA及不同梗死体积的脑梗死。     

Locked-in syndrome due to bilateral cerebral peduncular infarctions with occlusion of persistent primitive trigeminal artery]

A 61-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus was admitted to our hospital with right hemiparesis and dysarthria. Brain MRI showed bilateral cerebral peduncular infarctions. Three days after admission, she was unable to generate any voluntary movements, except for those of the eye, suggesting locked-in syndrome (LIS). She could not speak, but showed good comprehension by blinking in response to verbal commands. Brain CT 5 days later revealed subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) around quadrigeminal and ambient cistern. Cerebral angiogram on the following day revealed no aneurysm, occlusion of right persistent primitive trigeminal artery (PPTA) and a little flow of the bilateral vertebral arteries. Eye movements were impossible in all directions on the 11th day and MRI showed new infarctions of the midbrain and the ventral portion of the pons. However, an EEG on the 20th day was almost normal. We speculated that low blood flow in the basilar artery from the PPTA caused bilateral cerebral peduncular infarctions, and that weakness of the PPTA caused SAH.     

Severe Symptomatic Vasospasm following Intraventricular Hemorrhage from Arteriovenous Fistula

The authors present a rare case of severe vasospasm following the rupture of arteriovenous fistula. On initial CT scan, hematoma in the corpus callosum and left inferior frontal region with surrounding cerebromalacia and all ventricles without apparent subarachnoid hemorrhage were seen. Angiograms showed arterivenous fistula but did not show cerebral vasospasm. Thirteen days after admission the neurological state of patient suddenly deteriorated and bilateral motor weaknesses developed. Following angiograms revealed severe narrowing on the supraclinoid portion of bilateral internal carotid arteries, bilateral anterior cerebral arteries and bilateral middle cerebral arteries. Transluminal angioplasty and intra-arterial papaverine infusion were performed. The patient remained stable with moderate neurologic deficits.     

Anterior Cerebral Artery Dissection in a Patient With Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

Intracranial artery dissection secondary to autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is far less common than cerebral aneurysm. A 55-year-old man presented a sudden onset of headache and disturbed consciousness caused by ischemic stroke in the bilateral frontal lobes with minor subarachnoid hemorrhage. The bilateral anterior cerebral arteries were firstly occluded and re-perfused with irregular narrowing and dilation in 3 days after stroke onset, indicating dissection. He was diagnosed with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease by abdominal CT findings and by his family history though his renal function was almost normal. Dissection in the anterior cerebral artery has not been reported previously, while some cases with dissection in the vertebral and extracranial arteries were reported in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. His family also had a history of aortic dissection and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Intracranial artery dissection may be a manifestation of systemic arteriopathy with familial clustering in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Strict antihypertensive treatment is needed in these cases.     

Bihemisphere Ischemia Due to a Unilateral Lesion: A Case Report

Bihemispheric ischemic strokes secondary to unilateral vessel disease are uncommon. We present the case of a 70-year-old man with multiple acute/subacute bilateral infarcts. The patient was found to have stenosis of the left internal carotid artery secondary to herpes zoster ophthalmicus vasculopathy, with involvement of the left proximal middle and anterior cerebral arteries. Angiographic studies also revealed A1 segment aplasia of the right anterior cerebral artery (ACA), thus indicating dependence on the left-sided circulation for perfusion of the bilateral ACA vascular territory. This case illustrates how A1 segment aplasia, an anatomic variant of the circle of Willis detected by angiographic studies, can contribute to bilateral infarction in the ACA vascular territory.     

Diagnosis of IIIrd ventricular cyst with "amipaque (metrizamide) CT ventriculography (author's transl)]

The patient is a 17-year-old female. She was suffering from dwarfism, irregular menstruation and obesity. Out of the dwarfism, there were no other neurological abnormalities. The serious clinical examinations were performed, and the cerebral angiography and the CT scan demonstrated the findings of the obstructive hydrocephalus. Namely, enlarged IIIrd ventricle and small IVth ventricle were observed with routine CT scan. Because these findings on CT scan, we thought the hydrocephalus was based on the aqueductal stenosis. The vertebral angiography showed stretched posterior medial choroidal arteries and compressed the basilar tip posteriorly and inferiorly. Moreover, the carotid-angiography demonstrated the following findings, unrolling of the anterior cerebral arteries laterally stretched bilateral lenticulostriate arteries laterally shifted sylvian groups of the middle cerebral arteries, and stretched bilateral internal cerebral veins. Judging from that angiographic findings and CT scan, we thought there would be cystic tumor in the IIIrd ventricle. However, we suspected the IIIrd ventricular tumor, we were not able to differentiated it from the enlarged IIIrd ventricle itself exactly. Because, it's density in CT scan was equaled with that the cerebrospinal fluid. According to above facts, we performed "Amipaque CT ventriculography through the ventricular catheter after V-P shunt. By "the Ampiqque CT ventriculography" we found exactly there was large cystic tumor in the IIIrd ventricle. Their manifestation and some differential diagnosis were discused.     

A case of postpartum cerebral angiopathy with intracranial hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage immediately after delivery]

A 32-year-old woman, gravida 0, para 0, was admitted for delivery at 40 weeks of gestation. She had no history of headache, hypertension, and toxemia. She was delivered of a healthy boy. Although she was given no medication during normal delivery, she suddenly became drowsy and developed left hemiparesis immediately after delivery. Computed tomographic (CT) scan of the brain performed on the admission day revealed a subarachnoid hemorrhage and right putaminal hemorrhage. A 4-vessel cerebral angiogram demonstrated multiple irregular narrowing of the anterior cerebral arteries, middle cerebral arteries, and posterior cerebral arteries. Her conditions seemed to improve without any medication, and the multiple stenoses were no longer observed by angiography in a follow-up examination. On the basis of these observations, she was diagnosed as having postpartum cerebral angiopathy (PCA). Pathogenesis of PCA still remaing unclear to date an ergot alkaloid derivate (ergonovine) and the hydrogenated form of the powerful vasoconstrictor ergot (bromocriptine) have been reported as cause of PCA. We will classify PCA into 3 categories: eclampsia, secondary PCA, and primary PCA. "Primary PCA" is of unknown etiology, "secondary PCA" results from a known etiology such as drugs, and "eclampsia" is a PCA with toxemia of pregnancy. We report here, that PCA may occur even in a normal pregnant woman who was given no medication, and should be considered in the diagnosis of postpartum cerebral vascular diseases in women.     

Conduction aphasia as an initial symptom in a patient with Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease

We report a 59-year-old woman who presented to our facility with conduction aphasia as an initial symptom which, within 3 months, was followed by generalized myoclonus and global aphasia. She had difficulty repeating words during the Korean–Western Aphasia Battery test. Diffusion-weighted MRI demonstrated ribbon-like hyperintensities in the bilateral temporal, parietal and occipital cerebral cortex. An electroencephalogram showed periodic discharges over the bilateral hemispheres, while single photo emission CT revealed diminished perfusion. After a positive finding of the 14-3-3 protein in her cerebrospinal fluid, she was diagnosed as having probable sporadic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.     

Bilateral infarction in the territory of the anterior cerebral arteries

An elderly hypertensive man had extensive bilateral infarction in the distribution of the anterior cerebral arteries. The circle of Willis was fully formed, but occlusion of the dominant anterior cerebral artery, aggravated and perhaps caused by postlaparotomy hypotension, produced the dramatic lesions, causing akinetic mutism. This stroke pattern occurs in various settings and does not require an anomalous azygous unilateral supply to both anterior cerebral arteries.     

多层CT评价颈动脉重度狭窄性病变的初步研究

目的探讨多层CT脑灌注技术和头颈部CT灌注成像(CTA)技术联合应用评价颈动脉重度狭窄性病变的临床价值。方法对23例有症状的颈动脉重度狭窄性病变进行颅脑平扫、脑CT灌注和头颈部CTA联合检查。利用CTA对血管的狭窄程度、狭窄部位进行评价,利用CT灌注对脑血流动力学状态进行评价。选10名年龄相匹配的志愿者行CT灌注检查,作为CT灌注的对照组。结果CTA显示一侧颈内动脉闭塞12例,一侧颈内动脉重度狭窄11例。7例为单侧颈内动脉病变,16例为多血管多部位狭窄,包括对侧颈动脉狭窄,单侧或双侧椎动脉狭窄或闭塞,颅内血管狭窄或闭塞。脑CT灌注显示病变同侧灌注异常17例,闭塞组(8例)和重度狭窄组(9例)在灌注异常的发生率上差异无统计学意义。单发组(3例)和多发组(14例)在灌注异常发生率上差异有统计学意义(P<0·05)。结论颈动脉重度狭窄性病变多伴有同侧脑灌注的异常(17/23),多血管病变脑内灌注异常的发生率多于单发的颈动脉狭窄或闭塞。CTA和CT灌注技术联合应用可更加全面地评价颈动脉狭窄性病变,具有较高的临床应用价值。     

高血压性脑出血局部组织血流量变化的CT灌注研究

目的 利用CT灌注成像的方法探讨高血压脑出血血肿周围及其远隔区域脑血流变化情况。方法 对20例高血压脑出血患者行治疗后2周颅脑CT灌注扫描及计算机辅助系统制作颅脑CT灌注参数图,对血肿周围局部脑血流量（regional cerebral blood flow,rCBF）、局部脑血容量（regional cerebralblood volume,rCBV）和对比剂平均通过时间（mean transit time,MTT）脑血流动力学参数进行定量测量,并与正常侧对应参照点进行比较。结果 血肿周围存在不同程度低灌注,血肿边缘区rCBF、rCBV显著低于血肿外层区,血肿边缘区MTT较血肿外层区明显延长（P <0.05）,血肿边缘区及外层区rCBF、rCBV、MTT较相应镜像点均有统计学差异（P <0.05）。结论 血肿周围局部脑血流显著降低,CT灌注成像可显示血肿周围异常的脑血流动力学变化, 可为脑出血临床救治提供有价值信息。     

Unilateral watershed cerebral infarcts

We studied 51 patients with symptomatic unilateral watershed (WS) cerebral infarct on CT. In 22 patients, the infarct was between the superficial territory of the anterior and middle cerebral arteries, 20 had an infarct between the superficial territory of the middle and posterior cerebral arteries, and 9 had an infarct between the superficial and deep territory of the middle cerebral arteries. Each type had a characteristic neurologic picture. Syncope at onset (37%) and focal limb shaking (12%) were frequent. Thirty-eight patients (75%) had internal carotid artery occlusion or tight stenosis associated with a hemodynamically significant cardiopathy, increased hematocrit, or acute hypotension. Embolic infarction was probable in only two patients (4%) who had only atrial fibrillation.     

经一侧翼点入路夹闭1例伴大脑中动脉镜像动脉瘤的多发动脉瘤

目的：总结经右侧翼点入路夹闭合并大脑中动脉镜像动脉瘤的多发动脉瘤的诊治经验。方法回顾性分析1例经右侧翼点入路夹闭双侧大脑中动脉 M1分叉部合并前交通动脉动脉瘤病人的临床资料,并复习文献。结果所有动脉瘤顺利夹闭,术后病人无任何并发症。术后2个月,病人检查发现胃癌,放弃进一步检查和治疗。结论选择合适的病例和手术器械,通过一侧翼点入路夹闭双侧大脑中动脉镜像动脉瘤是可行的。     

烟雾病的诊断与鉴别诊断

目的 评价烟雾病的诊断方法，讨论其鉴别诊断。方法 回顾性分析11例烟雾病的CT、MRI及MRA资料，分析脑实质及脑血管的形态学改变。结果 CT及MRI表现为脑实质改变。脑出血3例，脑梗化6例，脑萎缩2例；MRA均见有不同程度的颈内动脉分叉以上狭窄或闭塞，其中双侧颈内动脉狭窄6例，单侧颈内动脉狭窄5例；大脑中动脉狭窄20支，大脑前动脉狭窄18支，大脑后动脉狭窄14支；9例同时显示异常血管网。结论 烟雾病主要靠放射学诊断，MRA可很好地显示烟雾病异常血管，可作为筛台烟雾病首选方法。诊断时，要排除脑中风、动脉瘤和动静脉畸形出血。