title: Vertebral artery loop causing cervical radiculopathy.
abstract: We report on a 68-year-old woman with an abnormal loop of the extracranial VA enlarging the intervertebral foramen at C4-5 and compressing the C5 root causing radiculopathy. The diagnosis was confirmed on contrast enhanced CT and MR angiography after initial conservative treatment was unsuccessful. Microvascular decompression using an anterior approach was curative.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital RWTH, 52057 Aachen, Germany. marcus.korinth@post.rwth-aachen.de
authors.forename: Marcus C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Korinth
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mull
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology