Isolated hypoglossal nerve palsy due to an anomalous vertebral artery course: report of two cases.
The authors report two patients with isolated unilateral tongue atrophy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain stem and angio-MRI demonstrated a dolichovertebral artery with an abnormal course compressing the medulla oblongata at the emergence of the hypoglossal rootlets. The semeiological observation of a sectorial and not uniform distribution of atrophy in the half-affected tongue is discussed in relation to the lesional site.
Morini
A
A
Neurology Department, S. Chiara Hospital, Trento, Italy.
Rozza
L
L
Manera
V
V
Buganza
M
M
Tranquillini
E
E
Orrico
D
D
D000368:Aged; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D006801:Humans; D007002:Hypoglossal Nerve / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009133:Muscular Atrophy / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014059:Tongue / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology