[Dolichoectasia of multiple cranial arteries. Findings on neuroimaging and transcranial Doppler].
BACKGROUND
Dolichoectasia of the intracranial arteries may give rise to ischaemic or haemorragic pathology and to compression phenomena. Joint dolichoectasia of the whole circle of Willis, in both the anterior and basilar portions extending to the main basal arteries is an unusual finding.


METHODS
We describe a 76 year old man who presented with vertigo with vertically downward nystagmus. On neuroimaging studies there was aneurysmal dilation of the left vertebral, basilar and both carotid arteries (in their supra-clinoid portion) and of both medial cerebral arteries. Transcraneal Doppler showed marked reduction in flow rate with normal morphology and pulsation.


CONCLUSIONS
The combination of non-invasive techniques allows full, reliable evaluation of the swollen arteries and possible complications.
Egido
J A
JA
Unidad de Patologia Cerebrovascular, Hospital Universitario San Carlos, Madrid, Espana.
Carod
J
J
Cuadrado
M L
ML
González
J L
JL
D000368:Aged; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D002539:Cerebral Arterial Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009759:Nystagmus, Pathologic / Q000209:etiology; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000473:pathology*; D014717:Vertigo / Q000209:etiology
Dolicoectasia de múltiples arterias intracraneales. Hallazgos de neuroimagen y doppler transcraneal.