Dual origin of the left vertebral artery: extracranial MRA and CTA findings

W Oliver Tobin; Ronan Killeen; Justin A Kinsella; Dominick J H McCabe

doi:10.1016/j.jns.2010.07.017

Dual origin of the left vertebral artery: extracranial MRA and CTA findings

J Neurol Sci. 2010 Nov 15;298(1-2):150-2. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2010.07.017.

Authors

W Oliver Tobin¹, Ronan Killeen, Justin A Kinsella, Dominick J H McCabe

Affiliation

¹ Department of Neurology, The Adelaide and Meath Hospital, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.

PMID: 20810134
DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2010.07.017

Abstract

A 48-year-old man presented with a posterior circulation stroke secondary to left lateral medullary infarction. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CEMRA) revealed 40-45% intracranial left vertebral artery stenosis, likely atherosclerotic in nature. CEMRA and subsequent computed tomography angiography also identified a duplicate origin of the left vertebral artery. The importance of recognition of this rare anatomical variant, its potential contribution to stroke aetiology, and the advantage of non-invasive vascular imaging prior to catheter angiography is emphasised.

Publication types

Case Reports
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Atherosclerosis / complications
Atherosclerosis / pathology
Cerebral Angiography
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Angiography
Male
Middle Aged
Stroke / etiology
Stroke / pathology*
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Vertebral Artery / abnormalities*
Vertebral Artery / pathology*
Vertebral Artery Dissection / pathology
Vertebrobasilar Insufficiency / pathology