Early detection of vertebral artery dissection

BMJ Case Rep. 2018 Nov 28;11(1):e226902. doi: 10.1136/bcr-2018-226902.

Abstract

A 36-year-old female patient presented to hospital with a 1-week history of occipital headache. It was sudden onset following a fall into a swimming pool. Examination was unremarkable. CT angiogram brain scan showed right vertebral artery dissection with a 1 cm dissection flap and a 3 mm left middle cerebral artery aneurysm. She was discharged on aspirin, with outpatient neurology clinic follow-up.

Keywords: headache (including migraines); medical management; neuroimaging; neurology.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aftercare
  • Aspirin / administration & dosage
  • Aspirin / therapeutic use
  • Computed Tomography Angiography / methods
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Early Diagnosis
  • Female
  • Headache / diagnosis
  • Headache / etiology
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Aneurysm / diagnostic imaging
  • Intracranial Aneurysm / drug therapy
  • Intracranial Aneurysm / pathology*
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / administration & dosage
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Vertebral Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • Vertebral Artery / pathology*
  • Vertebral Artery Dissection / diagnostic imaging
  • Vertebral Artery Dissection / pathology*

Substances

  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • Aspirin