Sign Up for a Free Account

This is an image preview.
Start a Free Account
to view the full image.

Sign Up for a Free Account For information on discounts, see Plans & Pricing

  • Nearly 3,000 illustrations, including video clips of neurologic disorders.

  • Every article is reviewed by our esteemed Editorial Board for accuracy and currency.

  • Full spectrum of neurology in 1,200 comprehensive articles.

  • Listen to MedLink on the go with Audio versions of each article.

Basilar dolichoectasia

This 59-year-old male had hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia and a history of coronary disease treated with coronary bypass grafting as well as abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. He presented with recurrent posterior circulation ischemic events, improving with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator on one occasion and intravenous heparin therapy on the second and third occasions. He was left with infarction in the territory of the left posterior cerebral artery, with right hemianopsia, and verbal memory deficits. CT scanning of brain revealed an ectatic basilar artery with mural calcifications (A). CT angiography demonstrated basilar artery dolichoectasia (B). He was treated with warfarin and remained stable for 3 years. He then presented with dysarthria, ataxia, and facial droop; MRI scan demonstrated an area of restricted diffusion in the right paramedian pons (C), and CT angiogram showed stable basilar artery ectasia with possible mural thrombus formation (D). (Contributed by Dr. J Brorson.)

Related Article

Related Media

Associated Disorders

  • Alpha-glucosidase deficiency
  • Atherosclerosis
  • Coarctation of the aorta
  • Diabetes
  • Dissection
  • Fibromuscular dysplasia
  • Giant-cell arteritis
  • Hyperlipidemia
  • Hypertension
  • Marfan syndrome
  • Neurofibromatosis
  • Polycystic kidney disease
  • Pseudoxanthoma elasticum
  • Saccular aneurysms
  • Syphilis
  • Tuberous sclerosis