Large Dolichoectasia Concurrently Involving Both Anterior and Posterior Cerebral Circulation: A Case Report

Abstract

Dolichoectasia is an uncommon disorder characterized by the presence of a dilated, elongated, and tortuous cerebral artery. Its main pathologic mechanism is the disruption of the internal elastic lamina. Risk factors for dolichoectasia are advanced age, chronic hypertension, and metabolic disease. It mainly involves the vertebrobasilar vasculature (or “posterior circulation”), but dolichoectasia can also be seen in the anterior circulation, particularly the anterior cerebral artery. There are no reported cases of dolichoectasia involving both anterior and posterior circulation in South Korea. Here we report an unusual case of dolichoectasia involving both anterior and posterior circulation in a young female without any underlying disease on the basis of prominent imaging findings.

Keywords

• ectasia
• cerebral circulation
• internal carotid artery
• middle cerebral artery
• posterior cerebral artery
• digital subtraction angiography