A rare cranial disease: Prolactinoma-associated moyamoya syndrome

Abstract

Moyamoya disease is a rare chronic progressive cerebrovascular disease. The etiology of moyamoya disease has not been established yet. If an underlying cause is detected, moyamoya disease is called moyamoya syndrome. A 27-year-old right-handed male was admitted to an external medical center with recurrent severe headaches, vomiting, and seizures. He was diagnosed with prolactinoma as a result of cranial magnetic resonance imaging and blood tests. After three months, he presented again with headache and left-sided weakness affecting both his arm and leg. Head and neck computed tomography angiography showed critical stenosis in the right distal internal carotid artery (ICA), in the right supraclinoid ICA, in the left supraclinoid ICA, and occlusion in the right ICA and middle cerebral artery. Digital subtraction angiography was performed following a preliminary diagnosis of Behçet’s disease due to HLA B51 positivity. However, the results did not support a diagnosis of neuro-Behçet’s but were instead indicative of moyamoya disease. This is the third case in which prolactinoma and moyamoya disease occur together. Moyamoya disease is a very rare chronic disease that mostly affects the cranial vessels. Patients can apply with very different complaints that may mimic other diseases.

Keywords

• moyamoya
• behçet
• prolactinoma
• neuro-behçet