J Clin Neurol.  2006 Mar;2(1):74-77. 10.3988/jcn.2006.2.1.74.

Extreme Duplication-type, Nonseparated Fenestration of the Basilar Artery in a Patient with Pontine Infarction: Confirmation with Virtual Arterial Endoscopy

• Woo SR
• Seo MW
• Kim YH
• Kwak HS
• Han YM
• Chung GH
• Jeong SK

• KMID: 2287707
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3988/jcn.2006.2.1.74

Abstract

We present a case of a 55-year-old woman with pontine infarction and fenestration of the basilar artery that was demonstrated using virtual endoscopy. The patient had motor weakness of the right side with sudden onset. Diffusion- and T2-weighted MR images revealed high signal intensities in the left pontine regions, and an MR angiographic examination showed the double-lumen sign of the basilar artery. An extensive duplication-type, nonseparated fenestration of the basilar artery was diagnosed by virtual endoscopy and craniocaudal communications with discrete openings were observed. We report a case of a patient with basilar artery fenestration and associated brainstem infarction.

Keyword

Fenestration; Basilar artery; Brainstem infarction; Virtual arterial endoscopy

MeSH Terms

Basilar Artery*
Brain Stem Infarctions
Endoscopy*
Female
Humans
Infarction*
Middle Aged

Figure

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  Figure 1 Imaging of a 55-year-old woman with acute pontine infarction. (A) Diffusion-weighted MR image with hyperintense signals in the left pons. (B) Source image of a contrast-enhanced MR angiogram shows the double lumens of the basilar artery (arrow). (C) Three-dimensional reconstruction image shows the double lumens and fenestration of the basilar artery. (D) Virtual endoscopy of the proximal portion of the basilar artery shows a duplicated lumen (arrows). (E) Virtual endoscopy of the distal portion of the basilar artery also shows a duplicated lumen due to complete fenestration (arrows).

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