title: Pitfalls in diagnosing intracranial aneurysms.
abstract: A medical record review of 90 consecutive patients with intracranial aneurysm disclosed a startling incidence of delayed or incorrect diagnosis. In 31 of the patients, the diagnosis was not made by the referring physician. Definite diagnosis by angiography will detect an aneurysm as small as 2 mm when there is no spasm of the parent vessel. A high index of suspicion and the use of computed tomography with contrast enhancement are the major tools facilitating diagnosis of an intact aneurysm.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000150:complications; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D002532:Intracranial Aneurysm / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012422:Rupture, Spontaneous; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed