Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome Associated with Infundibular Dilation

• Main Authors: Héctor Montenegro-Rosales, Blanca Karina González-Alonso, Omar Cárdenas-Sáenz, Alonso Gutierrez-Romero
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: SMC MEDIA SRL 2020-08-01
• Series: European Journal of Case Reports in Internal Medicine
• Subjects: reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome; sudden-onset severe headache
• Online Access: https://www.ejcrim.com/index.php/EJCRIM/article/view/1839

Background: Reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome (RCVS) is defined as a clinical and radiological syndrome that comprises a group of disorders characterized by sudden-onset severe headache and segmental vasoconstriction of the cerebral arteries with resolution within 3 months. Case presentation: A 51-year-old female patient with a 2-week history of sudden-onset severe headache, visual disturbances and cerebellum; no relevant imaging findings, except for an infundibular dilation at the origin of the posterior communicating artery, and so, angiography was performed. When symptoms persisted, a new imaging study was carried out with findings of RCVS as the cause of the symptoms from the beginning. Conclusions: Findings of RCVS can be obtained in various vasculopathies of the nervous system and vasculitis, being misdiagnosed, and so, clinical suspicion is essential; if vasoconstriction is not demonstrated on the initial image and other diagnoses have been excluded, the patient should be managed as having possible or probable RCVS.