Vertebral artery dissection

Disease modifying treatment available:
Time critical diagnosis and management:
Lateralising:

Definition

None

Taxotomy

Aetiology

Less than 50% of cases of vertebral artery dissection are associated with minor trauma.

Clinical features

Although the risk of signs of cerebral ischaemia is higher with vertebral artery dissections than carotid dissections, the prognosis is better. Dissections are bilateral in around 16% of cases.

Vertebral artery dissection may cause the following:

Cerebellar ataxia
Neck pain

Investigations

Dissections can be visualised on CTA, MRA, DSA and MR vessel wall imaging (sometimes referred to as black blood sequences).