Posterior communicating artery aneurysm presenting with haemorrhage into an arachnoid cyst
- aNational Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK, bThe Whittington Hospital, Highgate Hill, London N19 5NF, UK
- Dr Roger Barker, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK. Telephone 0044 01223 245151; fax 0044 01223 336941.
- Received 24 March 1997
- Revised 29 July 1997
- Accepted 23 September 1997
Abstract
A patient is reported on with a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) from an aneurysm of the posterior communicating artery, who initially presented with a sentinel bleed into an arachnoid cyst and normal magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the intracranial vasculature which led to a delay in diagnosis. Although this is a very rare presentation of a relatively common condition, it is important to recognise the importance of intracystic haemorrhage in such circumstances as well as the limitations of MRA, as a delay in diagnosis may have serious clinical consequences.
