Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome Associated with Infundibular Dilation.

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.

LEARNING POINTS: RCVS is a clinical and radiological syndrome that comprises a group of disorders characterized by sudden-onset severe headache and segmental vasoconstriction of the cerebral arteries.It can occur spontaneously or can be triggered by a specific "trigger" in 25 to 60% of cases.It commonly affects women between 20 and 50 years of age, but children and adolescents may also be affected.